Escape From Gravity
by El3v3n
Summary: When an accident forces Orihime to display the evolution of her powers to anyone that could've been secretly observing, she finds herself once again subjected to playing a part in Aizen's labyrinthine schemes. Canon to Bleach Ch. 480. Mature at Ch. 5
1. Orihime: An Undeserved Torture

...

Escape from Gravity

El3v3n

**All characters belong to Tite Kubo.**

An Undeserved Torture

Orihime could hardly sit still in her seat as the bus traveled into the approaching evening. The hum of the tires rolling along the pavement did little to calm her excitement as she focused her ash colored eyes out the window. Little by little the scenery was starting to appear familiar to her and in that moment she couldn't remember a time where she had been happier.

She had been looking forward to her visit to Karakura Town for quite some time now. Since her aunt really couldn't afford to fund furthering her education after completing high school (which was miraculous considering all the times she had been absent) she had been lucky enough to earn a scholarship to an out of town university but beyond academic and housing fees that were covered by the allowance money was tight. The auburn-haired beauty had saved every banknote she could from working part time in a local coffee shop in order to finance this little trip back to her home town.

A huge grin plastered itself across her face as she bounced in her seat. Tatsuki would be arriving tonight as well and had graciously offered her parent's home to Orihime to stay for the holiday. Her childhood best friend had also moved to further her education, but academics came secondary to the martial arts scholarship she had been awarded to attend a renowned Jui-Jitsu academy in Brazil. Images of Tatsuki and the possible experiences she'd have to share ran amok in the twenty year-old's brain. Though the two exchanged phone calls and e-mails often she couldn't help but wonder if Tatsuki looked any different than her pictures had shown. Maybe she was really tan now from having spent so much time in the sun. Or _maybe _she had gotten some sort of super secret tattoo that was exclusive to the members of her martial arts squad! Orihime couldn't help but giggle aloud upon imagining Tatsuki arriving from the airport gates with an adorable monkey on her shoulder.

"What would she name him? Bubbles…that would be a good name for a monkey," She muttered to herself. Upon receiving a glare from a grumpy looking woman seated across the lane, Orihime promptly crushed her lips back together in gesture that she would again be silent. Her spirits were only momentarily dampened as she further daydreamed about what kind of activities she'd be doing over the next week.

Both Chad and Uryū had chosen to attend Karakura University and she couldn't be more excited to see the both of them! Though Chad had already informed her he had to work late tonight Uryū had agreed to meet her at the bus stop when she finally arrived. The plan was to go back to his apartment to leave her luggage and in the mean time while waiting for Tatsuki's flight to arrive she planned on making some welcome home posters to surprise her with at the airport. To be honest, her Quincy friend hadn't seemed all that excited about making posters but he had been agreeable to it nonetheless. Besides, they were all going to go get sushi and maybe some sake if they were feeling up to it after Chad got off his shift.

Biting her thumbnail, Orihime paused to worry about her reunion with Uryū being maybe just a tad bit awkward. During the summer between high school and attending their respective universities she and the bespectacled youth had gone on a few dates. The whole experience was extremely casual, the most daring Uryū had been was to hold her hand once while the two visited a movie theater. So it wasn't all that surprising that it hadn't really been a big deal or anything to talk about when she left town. Though he had never brought it up, deep down Orihime had her suspicions as to why Uryū hadn't attempted to initiate a more serious relationship. It was something that he had recognized though the young woman had never explicitly explained her feelings. Uryū knew it, and perhaps, so did everyone else.

Wringing her hands together a frown flooded across Orihime's face when her thoughts drifted to Ichigo: the man that to this day was the only one to hold all the love of her heart.

Though gaining supernatural powers had changed the lives and to an extent the personality of herself and the others there was no one affected more by it than Ichigo. The fire-haired hero had become devoted to protecting her and his other friends but so much so that it was all he thought about. This attitude had only become more profound once he had regained his Soul Reaper powers again.

She really hadn't been all that surprised when he had given up being human to permanently become a Soul Reaper. Fighting had quickly become his calling purpose, and he could have never lived a normal human's life battling at the extent that he was always willing and ready. She hadn't seen him since the day he left at high school's end with his father's and what he thought to be his friends' blessing.

Orihime closed her eyes tightly in order to successfully ward off the thick liquids threatening to escape. She had wanted so desperately to beg him to stay. If only just to tell him that she would promise to forever love him more than anything. She'd continue becoming stronger so that she could help him fight and perhaps then retaining a human body and life wouldn't be all that much of a burden. Looking back on that day she would have done or said just about anything to get him to stay, and maybe she would have if Rukia hadn't been standing beside him when he announced his decision.

That chronically grumpy face of his took on a whole different appearance when it fell upon Rukia. Ever since she accompanied Ichigo to the Soul Society in order to help him save the Soul Reaper from certain doom it had been something she had failed to ignore. His mysterious chasms spoke their true feelings when they lit up in eagerness at the mention of her name. The sound of her dear friend's voice after a long absence was enough to send Ichigo scrambling up the side of a building if only just to be a little bit nearer to its revered source.

Even at the last opportunity to finally confess her devotion to him (while conscious) she just couldn't bring herself to do it; not to a man who held such a gaze for the woman who had utterly changed his world.

Sucking in a breath, Orihime vigorously shook her head in an effort to physically scatter her thoughts. Forcing a smile forward she reminded herself to not be sad. Though she would have loved to see the spikey-haired youth for the first time in two years she decided it would be a blessing that he wasn't around. After all, if she didn't have to see or talk to him she wouldn't despair over that which wasn't in her power to change.

"Kaaaaarakura Town!" A gruff voice announced over the bus's loudspeaker. Coming out of her trance Orihime suddenly realized that the vehicle had now stopped.

"Oh, t-that's my stop!" She fumbled over her words as she leapt from her seat and threw the strap of her duffle bag over her shoulder. Hurriedly moving toward the exit she bid the driver a thank you just before skipping down the short stairwell. Without having to look around she sensed that Uryū wasn't at the station awaiting her. Upon briefly checking the time she noted that her bus had arrived twenty minutes ahead of schedule.

'_Perhaps he's at the library. It isn't far and I know he takes his studies seriously.' _She thought. Shuffling the bag to sit more comfortably on her shoulder she brandished to the world a smile and began walking the few blocks toward Karakura Town's main library, but within her first few steps an overwhelming force enveloped her.

Her breath forcefully evacuated her lungs as the rumbling of an incredible reiatsu came crashing down. Gasping for air, Orihime barely caught herself from crumbling to her knees. In her panic she managed somehow to focus. The source was nearby but its signature was one she didn't recognize, in fact, there was something about it that seemed malicious. Perhaps it was an especially powerful Hollow, or maybe-

An Arrancar?

No, no that wasn't possible. Before she could take any longer to consider it the sound of shattering asphalt startled her and the presence of a second reaitsu sent her eyes flying wide.

"Uryū!" She wailed to the empty street and started sprinting in the direction of the disturbance. Her bag was heavy and the cool evening's air raked within her chest as she ran, but Orihime wasn't thinking clearly enough to consider abandoning the additional load. Arriving at the library more quickly than she ever thought possible, her panting breath fell dead as her horrified gaze filled with the sight of Uryū's head being barbarically obliterated by a powerful cero.

"Uryū!" Orihime screeched as she ripped her bag away from her body and raced into death's welcoming jaws. No matter how quickly her feet moved it seemed as if time was slowing her down. Her human body wasn't capable of the speed required to get to her friend before the unfamiliar Arrancar vaporized what was left of Uryū's body with another powerful blast.

"Santen Kesshun, I reject!" She sputtered with tears flooding down her face. The familiar orange-hued barrier shielded her and what little remained of the fallen Quincy. Scraping her bare knees against the pavement, Orihime's dilated pupils stared in disbelief to the ashes which were once a living man. Scooping the morbid dust into her palm, she barely heard the taunts of the Arrancar or felt the consequence of his attacks launching into her defense.

Though it all had transpired in moments something suddenly _changed_ within the brave but tear stricken girl. It started as a feeling within her stomach that traveled through her vasculature like a fire that could never be tamed even if it was attacked by the raging ocean or the winter's endless rain. And when the Arrancar used his sonído to attack from her non-guarded side, the Santen Kesshun barrier grew and trapped Orihime within a four-sided pyramid shaped shield that closed around her.

"Sōten Kisshun, I-I reject!" She ordered and watched as the healing oval spread over the ashes and bits of fabric.

She could do this. She could undo what this monster had done to Uryū.

"Hey! Stupid girl! Fight me if you're not a coward!" The partially masked Arrancar howled but Orihime narrowed her focus and had no reaction when the Hollow's attacks started bouncing off her shield and reflecting back toward him. Concentrating on her regenerative dome she watched the ashes swirl below in random array all the while praying to some higher power that this would work; that it _could _work. She closed her eyes in an effort to ignore the madness raging beyond her protective shields but forced them back open when a nostalgic voice burst across her ears.

"Getsuga Tenshō!" It roared and before her surprised eyes the Arrancar was reduced to scattered debris upon the huge wave attack making impact. Among the clearing dust Orihime's gray-hued gaze focused on a tall silhouette dawning bright orange hair and an enormous sword slung over his shoulder. Catching his glinting irises, Orihime's mouth fell open just slightly when Ichigo smirked toward her.

"Hey Orihime!" He called, stepping toward her now dissipating shields. "Uryū!" At the sound of the second name she immediately turned her eyes and nearly fell backward as she looked into Uryū's equally flabbergasted gaze. He sat kneeling before her, showing no sign of injury amongst his perfectly ironed clothes and pale skin. The pain of death glittered within his indigo orbs, and perhaps a little fear remained too as he dared not move his eyes away from her own.

"You two alright?"

XxXxXxX

"Well," Kisuke spoke up. He leaned back into his chair whilst thoughtfully waving a fan before his face. "We can't know for sure how the hierarchy works now in Hueco Mundo, but it wouldn't be all that strange for an Arrancar to show up in Karakura considering he might have been hungry and on the lookout for some high quality souls."

"Except he didn't suck out a single soul- he could have done it within seconds of arriving so why hadn't he?" Ichigo countered pointedly from where he sat between Uryū and Chad the latter having hastily arrived to Urahara's shop upon sensing the massive spiritual pressure that had quickly came and went outside the library. Orihime shifted uncomfortably where she knelt beside Uryū who had been abnormally silent concerning the whole encounter, though only she knew the reason why.

"Orihime and I witnessed the Arrancar enter through the garganta," the Quincy spoke up suddenly. "Ichigo was quick to disrupt his plans before anything else could happen." Orihime turned to him and stared in astonishment upon his lie, but Uryū refused to meet her gaze instead focusing his attention to grinding one of his fists into the underside of the table.

"Well if that's the case we really don't have much information to go on." Kisuke responded in his usual lackadaisical tone. "The best we can do is keep our eyes peeled and on the lookout for any more suspicious activity."

"Yeah," Ichigo interjected, "I'll be sure to pass the message along to the Soul Society. That way they can investigate as well."

Though Orihime's world was still spinning she managed to somehow hold a coherent conversation with the towering Chad and Ururu who had become quite the lovely young lady during her two year absence. Truth be told she was doing most of the talking as both were chronically quiet individuals, but she was having difficulty concentrating with the evening's events rolling around in her head and the sound of Ichigo's voice ringing loudly from the other room. He was having a playful argument with Jinta and she couldn't help but feel a tightness constrict in her chest upon imagining the scowl he always wore as he bantered with the younger boy.

"Hey there, Orihime," came the voice of Urahara. Paying the man whose face was always partially hid beneath a bucket hat a small smile, she knew instantly where this conversation was going before it had even begun.

"So, how long are you in town?" He asked once Chad had taken his leave to finish his shift at work and Ururu dispersed to assist Tessai with preparing dinner.

"Just for the week," She responded softly, lifting her gray eyes to meet with his obscured gaze. "But I guess I'll be cutting my trip short this time." The ex-Soul Reaper sighed and lifted the brim of his hat so that she could see his eyes and wry smile clearly.

"There isn't any reason to be alarmed but it would be best to be cautious-"

'_Considering what happened last time.' _Orihime supplied in her thoughts.

"I realize you were probably looking forward to seeing Tatsuki. I heard she's going to be coming into town tonight." Kisuke continued and suddenly brandished a huge grin. "So I was thinking as soon as you get another free moment we can visit her in Brazil!"

"Really?" Orihime asked between several blinks.

"Yeah! We can all go: you, me, Chad, Uryū- hey Tessai!" Kisuke yelled over his shoulder, "You ever been to Brazil before?"

"No sir, I can't say that I have." The huge man responded from the kitchen.

"Gr-eat, then it'll be perfect," Kisuke laughed. "Here, Orihime. Take my card, I know you have the shop's phone number but my e-mail is on there too." Taking the small white paper from between his fingers Orihime scanned the text of the address.

"Kisuke less than three's Yoru-" A raucous laugh from the blonde interrupted her reading.

"That's the one!" Kisuke confirmed and walked with Orihime toward the door. After stepping into the chilled night, the young collegiate unconsciously tugged at the sleeves of her red sweater upon spotting Uryū leaning against the shop's outer wall. She had thought he had snuck away without saying good-bye; still shaken from what happened.

"Orihime," He called while strolling toward her.

"Uryū, are you alright?" She asked with a tone brimming with concern and in truth she was worried. While she hadn't the desire to be praised for saving his life she was utterly confused as to why he had chosen to conceal what truly had happened to the others.

"Did you tell Urahara or any of the others about what really happened?" Her dark-haired peer asked urgently.

"N-no, Uryū what's going on? What's the point in lying to them?" Uryū's eyes darkened behind their windowed lids as he leaned in closer to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Orihime Inoue," he spoke in a low whisper, "do you remember what happened tonight? What you were able to do?"

"Of course I do," The orange-haired beauty defended, "I used my Shun Shun Rikka to heal your wounds-"

"Heal my wounds?" the Quincy demanded sharply. "Orihime, you brought me back from the dead! You regenerated my body fr-from nothing in mere seconds!"

"B-but, there were ashes-"

"I saw it." He uneasily continued. "My detached soul was so new- so fresh I doubt either you or the Arrancar could sense it, but I watched you regenerate my body and once again bind it to my soul." Silence befell them as the taller youth gestured toward her with a hand over his very alive and breathing chest.

"Your powers have grown immensely, Orihime." Uryū continued. "And though this is something you have every right to take pride in you _must _keep what happened today a secret." Shaking her head, she narrowed her dampened eyes toward him.

"Uryū! You're not making any sense!"

"I shouldn't have to spell it out for you, but you've heard enough stories to know that any being or race-human or not- with power the Soul Society perceives as threatening sooner or later will end up _eliminated_." Uryū spoke with a darkness she could almost taste.

"Uryū, what happened to the Quincys - that was a very long time ago." She argued, completely disbelieving that those of the Soul Society, many of whom had become her friends, would ever come to kill her.

"Think about it, the role of a Soul Reaper is to send lost souls and force Hollows into their proper place among the Spirit World. Your power does the exact opposite as you have the ability to bring a soul back into its original living state. You may even have the ability to reconstruct a fallen Hollow if what I perceived today is correct. Just like the Quincys, this could disrupt the balance that the Soul Society's whole goal is to preserve."

"I've often wondered why they haven't attempted to exterminate myself like they had the rest of my kind but when I thought about it more I can see why they wouldn't perceive me as a threat as just _one_ Quincy killing the occasional Hollow to happen upon Karakura Town wouldn't disrupt the balance of souls between worlds that much." Uryū continued to explain when Orihime remained silent. "Your powers on the other hand could be far more dangerous to them, especially if you were to fall into the wrong hands. The Soul Society has a lot of enemies, and even _more _they wouldn't want to see brought back from the dead."

"I don't think my powers work like that. Your body may have been disintegrated but your remains were still present and you had _just _died." She countered. Uryū merely shook his head and leaned back from her to push his glasses back on the bridge of his nose.

"Maybe not, Orihime, but I'm warning you to take my advice. Don't tell anyone about what happened today- not Chad, not Urahara, and _especially_-" Uryū paused to turn to look back toward the shop. Following his line of sight, her heartbeat thumped a little faster when she spotted the tall fiery-haired man in the window carelessly sharing a laugh with Kisuke.

"Especially not Ichigo, he may still be a friend, but never forget, he's one of them now." Uryū spoke coldly.

After Uryū had parted with a somewhat cheerless good-bye, Orihime trudged toward the street with her large duffle in tow. Checking the time on her cell phone she sighed. The last bus leaving for the city her university residence was in would be departing within the hour so she hadn't any more time for visiting. Turning to look back depressively upon the modest "candy" store she debated going back once more to at least bid Ichigo farewell. Between discussing all that had happened and him visiting with everyone who hadn't seen him in a while he had barely spoken two words to her. Running a hand through her long auburn bangs she turned away and began walking with a sad smile. She hadn't expected to see him at all, so perhaps once again watching him walk out of her life was a torture she didn't deserve.

"Hey, Inoue!" A gruff voice shouted behind her. Falling dead in her steps she turned to see none other but Ichigo sprinting toward her, looking almost comical in his Soul Reaper clothing with his huge Zanpakutō strapped across his back. Panting heavily when he reached her, his brown eyes sparkled as he paid her with a typical smirk.

"Where the hell are you going Orihime? It's been two years and you can't even say good-bye?"

XxXxXxX

Orihime's heart was beating a mile a minute as Ichigo walked alongside her toward the bus station. He had attempted to carry her bag for her, but she had quickly pointed out that with the absence of a gigai it might scare someone to see a baby-blue duffle bag floating on its own along the sidewalk.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Ichigo said with a short laugh ringing into the air. "How have you been Orihime? You're at a university now, right? What are you studying?" He asked genuinely. Fighting a blush from her face the petite girl turned to him with a smile.

"Just fine, Ichigo. I'm studying astronautical engineering so I can become an astronaut!" She responded with enthusiasm.

"W-wow! That's pretty impressive. I'm not surprised though, you were always the smartest kid in school." A crooked smile fluttered across his attractive face as he looked upon her and Orihime failed to conceal her blush this time. He didn't look that much different in appearance than the day he had left. Time passed differently in the Spirit Realm compared to the World of the Living. Orihime on the other hand, though she had donned an adult woman's curves from a young age, appeared more mature in her facial features having lost any traces of baby-chub against her now slender and well-structured cheeks.

"T-thanks." She responded while tossing her gaze to the ground. "How are you and Rukia doing?" Orihime screamed at herself internally when the question had shredded across her tongue. She must truly be a masochist to subject herself to wanting to know the answer to such an inquiry.

"-and the others too?" She quickly interjected. Ichigo responded with an arched brow as he looked toward the strangely behaving girl.

"Rukia is doing great, as are all the others." He answered finally, placing a hand on the back of his head. "Things have been pretty quiet in the Seireitei to be honest, but I've had plenty of time to work on my training. I'd like to think I've gotten stronger but I haven't had a real opportunity to test it out yet." Orihime smiled to herself at his idly spoken words. He still had his mind settled on little else but training and fighting, it truly was as if nothing had changed at all. After they had finally reached the bus stop, Orihime almost burst into trembles when he laid a gentle hand against her shoulder.

"Hey, I've been trying to get more assignments to the World of the Living. As soon as I get a break I want to come visit you, alright?" He asked sincerely. "Maybe I can get some of the others to come too, Rangiku has been whining about wanting to see you as has Rukia. Renji doesn't say much but I know for sure he'd like to visit too."

"Really? That would be wonderful, Ichigo." Orihime responded softly. Her heart felt as light as a feather. Though she still desired more from the Soul Reaper than he seemed interesting in giving, the thought of he and her other friends from Spirit World wanting to spend time with her lifted her spirits to an all-time high. In fact, she felt so happy that she managed to keep wearing a genuine smile long after he had taken his leave and she had clambered onto the bus.

An hour into her long journey her glee was starting to wear. She had already called Tatsuki and talked to her for quite some time. Orihime explained what had happened (leaving out the part where she had revived Uryū from his untimely death) and though bummed, Tatsuki immediately perked up when she spoke of Kisuke's promise. Upon hearing this Tatsuki vowed to visit the Urahara shop once a day while she was in town to make sure he knew good and well that he had better be ready to pony up the money to send Orihime to see her when she was ready. The future astronaut had gotten a good laugh out of that but once again being confined within the cramped seat of a bus all memory of the amusement she had drawn from that conversation quickly faded.

Orihime always tried her best to look on the bright side of life but she couldn't help but feel depressed that after just a few short hours of being home she was yet again on the excruciatingly long trip back to her current residence. In fact, she was trying to convince herself that it was indeed this that was bothering her when instead there was something much more troubling gushing through her mind like a poison that hadn't an antidote. Encountering the Arrancar that evening had brought forth a slew of memories she believed she'd never be able to forget even if she lived for a hundred more years.

Though years had gone by without such an incident reoccurring, she would still frequently awake in the middle of the night drenched in cold sweat from the nightmares forcing her to relive the time she had been stolen from her world if for nothing else than to entertain the perversions of monsters.

Her thoughts bitterly rolled back to the conversation at Urahara's shop. They had been careful in the words of their discussion; only vaguely speaking of the Arrancar incident as if it truly was nothing out of the ordinary or something that could be handled with ease. She wasn't sure if they conversed aloud this way for her own benefit or if they talked in code because of their own fear. But being as intelligent as she was, Orihime was quick to read between the lines.

When Kisuke spoke of the hierarchy of Hueco Mundo he was asking why Arrancar were entering the Realm of the Living without _his _direction. And when Ichigo said the Soul Society would be investigating the matter, what he truly meant was sending someone down into the very depths of hell- to check and make sure _he _hadn't escaped the prison he was to remain in for well over two hundred lifetimes. And _he _of course was Sōsuke Aizen: the unfathomably powerful Soul Reaper who had made her a pawn of the pawns in his own little game of conquering all of the existing worlds.

To her credit, Orihime had never _truly_ witnessed the defected Captain's power in the few times she had encountered him within the confines of Las Noches. That is if you chose not to count the absolute fear his very presence instilled within his subordinates who could have squashed her like a helpless bug if allowed the opportunity. But the quiet words of Ichigo and Kisuke meant to share what had happened in battle to those who were absent had been more than enough to remedy this. At the time she was supposed to be concentrating on doing her part to heal the wounded, but the frightening tale was one she couldn't possibly ignore.

Orihime felt a chill right down to her bones as she recalled Ichigo's solemn recount of how Aizen had cut down the Soul Society's strongest with what appeared to be little effort and even less remorse. And that was of course _before _he had activated his secret weapon of having subjugated the Hōgyoku. Though Ichigo seemed confident in Aizen's defeat there was something about Kisuke's mannerisms that made her feel he felt otherwise. The way he had referred to his arrogance upon becoming drunk with power being his sole downfall seemed to suggest that _if_ he were able to escape his imprisonment there would be _no one _able to stop him.

The sound of the bus's radio rang softly in her ears as she rubbed the fuzzy arm of her sweater. She really shouldn't be worrying about such things. Especially since the business of the Soul Society was something she was no longer included in. But the eloquent strumming of a Spanish guitar pouring through the speakers haunted her with the memory of his calculative gaze. In some other world or time she might have found the former Lord of Las Noches charming, perhaps even attractive as he was without question a very handsome man. But she knew all too well that the sliver of a smile he wore was never once paid to her for the sake of well-meaning pleasantry.

Of all the things that man had done to her, from orchestrating her kidnap to attempting to decimate her friends and her home, it was the very last time she had heard him speak that bothered her the most. How the Arrancars had treated her had not been as upsetting or surprising, after all, she had been picked on, beaten up and threatened with death ever since she was a little girl. But those cool and callous words ringing smooth and with the utmost civility were the ones she'd never forget.

"_I no longer have any use for her."_

Having momentarily become a numbed prisoner to her morbid memories, Orihime hadn't noticed the forthcoming of a large reiatsu until it had come so close that its sheer massiveness begun forcing the bolts upward from the steel floorboard below her feet. Before she could even think on how to react, the bus came to such a violent stop that the girl's head went slamming into the seat in front of her. Lucky to have such a hard head, she immediately bounced back from her injury and leapt to her feet. The incredible spiritual pressure was still present but nothing else was happening with exception of those rushing to the front of the bus toward the driver.

"He's injured! Help me get him to the street!" She heard someone announce. Turning worriedly toward the voice she filed behind the others off the vehicle so she could offer assistance. Just as she was pondering how she could manage to use her healing powers without drawing suspicion an out of place and throaty grumble brushed past her ears. Whipping her head to look toward the damaged front of the bus her mouth fell open in heart-stopping shock upon a face that none of the other riders would be able to see. She watched as the Espada yanked his fist from the vehicle to grin at her with a macabre so vicious that it was seemingly one with the fangs that were once a part of his Hollow mask. All the other sounds surrounding her faded with the exception of the crackling bus radio that was still statically screaming the fast paced serenade of a Spaniard's orchestra.

"Hey there, girl," Grimmjow practically laughed as his cyan colored irises passed over her face and curvaceous figure in amusement, "or woman now, I guess I should say!" He corrected with glee just as he sonídod before her and wrapped the left arm she had once regenerated for him around her waist and pulled her against him.

"You'll be coming with me now." He commanded with a glint shining in his maddened stare.

* * *

><p>Hi! So, I've got to admit: this is my first Bleach fanfiction and I just felt compelled to write it since I started reading into some of <strong>Sariniste<strong>'s excellent take on Aizen/Orihime shipping! I was kind of sad to learn that there weren't that many fics of this pairing out there (maybe like 100 out of the _~60,000 _Bleach fanfics!) and out of those many aren't completed so I thought…what the heck let's see what I can do. ^^'

I have ~3 chapters finished, all around this size and I was hoping I could get some feedback on what you think so far!

A few technical notes: I'm planning on this story being rated "mature" at some point and it will be told from the POV of both Orihime and Aizen and possibly more POV characters but that's not yet decided. I'd urge you not to focus on canon too much since I'm almost 100 % positive that the adventure I'm planning on sending these characters on will _not_ be occurring in the series. I do plan on, to my best ability, keeping these characters *in* character, though.

I'd love to know what you all think- whether it's liking it or bashing the hell out of it. My initial thought is that some of you might have found this chapter boring but I thought it was important to set up what's happening and what is the state of Orihime's current feelings. Was it too long? I feel like I have this tendency to "over-describe" things so if you have any advice on that I'd be happy to hear it.

Thanks,

~Kochou-hime


	2. A&O: For Your Protection

…

Escape from Gravity

El3v3n

**All characters belong to their respective owners.**

For Your Protection

Xx-Aizen-xX

"L-l-lord Aizen?" A voice interrupted the stillness of the room. It was greeted with the sound of deadened air wafting through the Palace's ventilation system which was meant to simulate a breeze beneath an artificial sky. A rattle followed upon still no answer and Aizen couldn't help but smile darkly upon the sound of fearful chattering teeth.

"What is it?" He finally responded. Shutting the book laid against his spanning fingers he turned a solitary eye upon the Arrancar who knelt low to the ground. Swallowing, the creature came to his feet and gripped a small object in his hands.

"I was able to retrieve the item as instructed, m-my lord." He replied and gingerly placed it within the tall man's offered palm, but was careful to not approach too closely.

"Did you run into any trouble?" Aizen inquired sedately as he slipped the object within his white robes.

"No sir. I was quick and was careful to conceal my reiatsu," the name-less Arrancar explained. Or perhaps he had a name, but as far as the Lord of Las Noches was concerned, it really wasn't important.

"Very well," he spoke deeply, not bothering to offer him any semblance of praise. There was no point in expending effort into polishing a creature that had ceased being useful moments before. He continued to hover awkwardly, desperately seeking- hoping for a shred of approval from his master but upon seeing none he finally left.

Tucking the small book away into the folds of his coat, the former Captain of Squad Five turned his gaze out to the perfectly designed clouds floating past in exact and predictable ways. At the moment he found standing before a false day preferable to his throne. Having been confined to being seated for years during his imprisonment, standing was admittedly the closest thing to fresh air he'd get in Hueco Mundo. Besides, after everything that had happened, _this_ throne no longer appealed to him.

There was only _one _royal seat and _one _goal that mattered above all. Everything else, while having faithfully served its purposes, was no longer of any use to him.

At least, that was what he had originally come to conclude, until coming across an astounding revelation that very evening.

From a researcher's point of view, failures were to be expected, planned for and at some point inevitable. Such an epitome may be disheartening to most, but to the wise and persistent failure was merely an _opportunity_. True to this observation, Aizen had learned more than he could have ever hoped for from his apparent defeat by the Soul Society's best military assets. He had gone into the contending phase of his imperial plot brashly and of course at the time he had been understandably upset by the outcome of his miscalculation. It had angered him so much that he had elected to remain within the solitude of that pathetic prison if only to obsess over each and every detail of what had gone wrong. It was an inexplicable phenomenon by how narrowly he'd been slighted. Urahara had managed to take advantage of the tiniest window of vulnerability and the boy was just the source of raw power needed to force its effects.

"Urahara," Aizen spoke the name of his rival aloud with a chuckle. He'd spent weeks pondering over how a man could be gifted with such intellect and yet be so very foolish at the same time. He remembered watching as the exiled man's kidō finally overwhelmed him and even in his fury he noticed no joy upon his face. It was as if he somehow knew Aizen had already beaten him; beaten them all after witnessing the most desperate measure taken and thrust into the responsibility of a _child_. The time the defected Soul Reaper spent mulling within Muken was only a delay of the inevitable as where he'd be going next was a place where even the great Kisuke Urahara wouldn't be able to interfere. Though his hostile takeover hadn't met its originally planned timeline, he had still been successful in achieving what he had needed to during its first phase. He knew now, for certain, who of those that would stand in his way were inconsequential and who must absolutely be _destroyed _to achieve his ultimate goal.

He had returned to Hueco Mundo some weeks ago, knowing no one would dare to check his prison unless something had alerted them to. Las Noches had been maintained under the observation of Tier Harribel to whom he promptly eliminated. The time he had spent evolving her had been unfortunate, and the resulting creature that lacked the true will to serve him disappointing.

Quick to enact the next phase of his plans he had sent the _first_ Arrancar on what should have been a simple task to retrieve a hidden item within Karakura. When the underling had taken too long to return, Aizen curiously checked on his progress with the late Octava Espada's spiritual recording system. He had apathetically watched the Quincy blown to pieces by the weak specimen. It was rather pathetic really, after all these years the "gifted" human hadn't improved at all. Not that his abilities were all that impressive to begin with. His boredom, however, was short lived when a second familiar entity appeared in the flickering picture of the one-sided massacre.

It was the girl, the young human with powers that could rival a deity's.

Aizen's cool eyes electrified upon recalling how she had appeared in the recording to use her powers in what should have ended in an ugly attempt to both protect herself and resurrect her comrade. What a brilliant surprise it had been to see what had actually transpired. Her ability was no longer a mere breach upon the territory of the Gods but a complete and utter violation. Witnessing her defy the very law of existence had made his heart pound and ignited a bombardment of questions demanding answers in his normally controlled thoughts. How had he forgotten this fascinating human when rebuilding his armory of schemes? Just as he had before used her abduction to his advantage, her yet undeveloped presence offered a new and exciting array of _possibilities_. Letting his eyes rest, he stood thinking of all such scenarios while awaiting her arrival. It wasn't long, however, that he sensed the return of the Sexta entering the compound with his reiatsu proudly blaring his arrival.

XxXxXxX

"Let me go!" Orihime screeched as she buried her fingernails into the back of her captor's head. Grimmjow responded with a grunt and let the girl roll from his shoulder and fall to the gray tiled floor. She eeped when her side connected with the hard ground but quickly scrambled to her feet.

"Shiten Kō-" She tried but was silenced when Grimmjow's heavy hand clamped down on her mouth with lightning speed.

"You know," he grumbled darkly, "You're really annoying. What happened to the little and meek woman that would be a good girl and just behave?" The Espada grinned maniacally as he dropped his hand. The abductee leapt away from him, falling back down onto her bottom as she looked up with terrified eyes toward the man who had a hole right through his middle. Grimmjow's eyes dove for her and he snarled upon spying a few strands of light blue hair between her fingers.

"Maybe you just like to play rough now," He suddenly grinned. "I can be game for that," he continued with a menacing step forward, but quickly came to a halt.

"That'll be enough, Grimmjow," A calm and masculine voice interrupted from the shadows of the adjoining hallway. Aizen wasn't at all amused with the last surviving Espada's antics as he unhurriedly entered the atrium. His stare remained pointedly on the offender until he took a few more steps away from the girl and fell submissively to one knee. Ironically, if Aizen was to send any of the Espada to abduct someone it wouldn't have been Grimmjow, who was arguably the most unruly of the ten. Unfortunately, it was the only subordinate he had left that could be entrusted with something so _fragile_.

"In the future, Grimmjow," Aizen spoke in a tone that was deceivingly disarmed. "When I order you not to harm someone I intend for you to do exactly as I ask."

"Yes, Lord Aizen," The Arrancar replied solemnly and promptly retreated upon not wanting to risk further punishment. Letting his stare shift to the seated girl he immediately drank in the look of bewilderment across her features. He amusingly noted she was quick to subdue the defiance she had exhibited to Grimmjow. Though he was sure she was shocked to see him free from the prison she had been reassured he'd never escape, the Lord of Las Noches was well aware of his ability to humble another with his overpowering presence.

Studying her more intently he noticed the poor quality video had done the human little justice as far as capturing how truly radiant she was. Considering his primary focus had been clouded with other concerns for over a century now, he rarely took much care to a person's outwardly appearance but something about this small girl struck him as exceptional. Quick in his assessment he stole a glimpse of the pale skin her slender legs allowed from her skirt having come disrupted so unexpectedly. Moving his tranquil gaze over the powerful yet delicate pins holding back one-side of her long bangs he caught her large and fear-filled eyes with his own. Without a moment's more contemplation he closed the space between them and offered his hand down toward her. He merely smiled upon her immediate recoil.

"Orihime Inoue," He spoke her name with such pleasantness that she inhaled sharply. Crouching down to her he occupied her space so closely that the front hanging lock of his hair intermingled within her own strands.

"I realize you surely have questions about your sudden relocation." The ex-Soul Reaper spoke with a smile. "If you'll join me, I'd be happy to answer them for you over tea." Lowering her eyes she surrendered her smaller hand into his and he pulled them both to their feet. Peering down toward her from his towering height he was pleasantly assaulted by her upward sailing scent. It reminded him of apricots- an ode to the color of her waist lengths of hair. Her downy red sweater stretched over her equally soft and ample curves. The fluffy tufts of fabric likened her appearance to that of a harmless kitten looking dismayed upon being separated from its doting mother.

She fell into step with his longer strides automatically, following behind him as he leisurely led them through the identical appearing halls. The little human's appearance was a pleasing sight for sore eyes that had been sensory deprived for far too long. She had always been lovely, he remembered, but in the passing years she had forfeited her child-like features for far more engaging ones. He mused to himself of this with a covert smile. Though most would dismiss physical appearance as being important in a war-like setting unless it was intimidating, Aizen understood the power of perception better than most. He knew well that beautiful opponents were far more dangerous than the terrifying ones. Orihime was a blank yet stunning canvas in which he fully intended to design for his own purposes and while there were many, he hadn't quite yet decided what ones she'd best fulfill.

Leading her through the entry way of what was once the Espada's meeting room he offered her Ulquiorra's long abandoned seat before taking his place at the head of the spanning table beside her. He surveyed her wordlessly- her staring nervously to her lap until one of the Palace Arrancar arrived to pour them steaming tea in silvery-white cups.

Xx-Orihime-xX

Still in utter disbelief of having been kidnapped by this man _again_, Orihime stuck to the notion that she was only dreaming until the hot liquid passed through her lips. It tasted too real. She was drinking tea with the infamous Sōsuke Aizen for reasons still unknown but were certainly not ones pertaining to any good fortune on her or anyone's behalf.

"The injuries you've sustained on your knees. I hope those weren't of Grimmjow's doing." Aizen was the first to speak. Directing her attention away from the cloudy green liquid in her mug, she slowly shifted her eyes to him and shuttered upon meeting his gaze. Those brown chasms could form icicles on flames if he only willed them to. She understood now why he had needed only glasses to conceal his villainous disguise as they were the perfect mask to cover what were truly cold and ruthless intentions. Darting her eyes away, she stared down to her hands.

"No," she answered curtly with what little breath remained in her lungs.

"Then I can only assume you inflicted them when you dove so valiantly to revive the Quincy from his demise earlier this evening." He stated placidly but achieved a completely different response from the young woman who threw her attention upon him. The words of his calm statement were about as pleasant as nails being raked down a chalk board. She looked in horror upon the knowing smile tracing his lips that was partially hid behind the knuckle of his right hand. Uryū's warning stung the front of her mind. Despite heeding his advice her powerful display had already landed her into a whole world of trouble.

"Orihime," Aizen continued, "I would have hoped you had realized by now that you're far too lovely to be constantly seen with such a heart-broken expression." Further spiraling into shock the auburn-haired girl tangled her fingers together and damned the uncontrollable blush that overwhelmed her cheeks upon the handsome yet wicked man's compliment. "You should be aware that as before I have monitored the progress of those that were affected by the Hōgyoku prior to it falling within my sole control. The continued evolution of your Shun Shun Rikka is a subject that fascinates me therefore it shouldn't be all too surprising that I chose to follow your progress in particular." He explained, pausing in his words to take a sip from his own beverage.

"I know the physical manifestations of your power were originally worn in honor of your late brother. Perhaps he had thought they would be useful to you since you vowed to forever wear your hair long as a symbolic gesture between you and your closest friend." Aizen spoke of the intimate details of her past as if they were common knowledge.

'_Tatsuki…my best friend you would have destroyed for nothing more than to anger Ichigo_.' Orihime thought bitterly and showed her displeasure by pressing her lips into a thin line.

"And despite having been given the opportunity to say farewell to Tatsuki prior to your first stay in Hueco Mundo, you chose Ichigo instead. But I can see how that choice would have been difficult. Who is more important: a dear friend or the one you have given your love?" Taken aback by his provoking words, Orihime's anger was quickly becoming sorrowful, but her captor was quick to intercept her emotions as he regarded her with a slight tilt of his head.

"There's no reason to despair, Orihime," Aizen coaxed, "you won't have to choose. It should please you to hear that I do not plan on harming either or any others you hold dear." Hiding her eyes beneath her vibrant locks, she gripped the base of her chair and trembled upon the words she knew she shouldn't believe despite how hopeful they were.

"What do you want from me? I thought I was no longer of any use to you." She croaked, staring at the forlorn expression reflecting back at her from still surface of the tea. The fleeting sound of a mild chuckle dared her to once again look to him.

"You misunderstand," his normally unreadable gaze glinted with amusement. "Though your presence here several years ago inadvertently assisted my previous ambitions, you'd be incorrect to assume that was why I had originally ordered you brought to Hueco Mundo." Aizen's words rang cryptically. Leaning forward in his high-backed seat, the self-proclaimed sovereign gently drifted his hand along her shoulder pausing to brush the tips of his fingers against the back of her neck. The supposed comforting gesture sent an eruption of chills vacillating along Orihime's spine. Goosebumps stood frenziedly against his warm fingers and she could only watch him anxiously while a confusing heat trickled down into her core.

"I've once again taken you into my care for your own protection. I lament not informing you before but I was concerned it would only further upset you. Unfortunately, dear Orihime, your impressive abilities have put you into very grave peril." Keeping her gaze, he guided her to stand from her seat and led her once more into the dimly lit hallways. Obediently following his lead, Orihime's mind roamed suspiciously. It was likely he was lying to her; attempting to delude her into being unable to comprehend the truth behind his nefarious plot. If he had been able to gather so much information on her previously, he could have easily eavesdropped on Uryū's previous cautioning.

Wearily giving the much taller man a sidelong glance, she stared up into the hard lines of his sturdy jaw brushing just above the high collar of his uniform. It was somewhat hard to believe that a villain could be hiding behind such a captivating exterior. She remembered well his final farewell to her. His parting words were so poisonous, but he had somehow used them to hypnotize her as if their tone alone could convince her that he was the noblest of all men despite promising to destroy her entire world. Suddenly, she was startled when he caught her hidden watch and paused in their descent upon reaching an opened balcony that overlooked the pale desert sands covering the home of the Hollow's.

"My true purpose for invading Karakura Town was not as I had previously revealed." He continued to explain while reaching into an inner pocket of his jacket. "Threatening to destroy it was a means of provoking the Captains of the Court Guard Squads in order to terminate their interference in one offensive maneuver. I had no need to collect the souls or land of Karakura as you can see-" turning to face her he leisurely displayed a thin and multi-pronged key between his index and middle finger. "-I had long ago hidden the Ōken within the World of the Living." He revealed with a victorious smile sliding across his features. Orihime's mouth hung open as the skilled tactician once again stowed the key away.

"I had sent an Arrancar to retrieve it where he was unfortunately intercepted by the Quincy." Aizen calmly informed her of his intentions. "When I observed you and how your powers had advanced I knew that you would instantly become a target of the Soul Society once they investigated the incident that was mediated by Ichigo Kurosaki. And I'm afraid that I couldn't allow you to become yet another casualty of fear executed by the sword of a corrupt institution. Because after all-" Aizen brushed his hand against the small girl's hair as he rested it upon her shoulder. "-both you and I are of the divine. It's important that we stick together, especially in the face of persecution."

The weight of his hand upon her felt only slightly less heavy than the significance of his words. She remembered him informing her that he viewed her powers to be of the Gods' realm but now he suggested that she was in fact to be considered among them. Did the man who proclaimed himself to be the only being worthy of bearing the title of "God" _really _view her as an equal? Sliding his hand between her shoulder blades, he led her away from the balcony and back into the Palace's enclosure.

"Does it upset you to learn that your cherished friends of the Soul Society are now under orders to assassinate you on sight?" Orihime couldn't tell if he was taunting her or not - his voice was calm and level as he surveyed the silent halls ahead.

"I don't believe you," She muttered the words aloud that were so bold that they surprised even herself.

"Good," he took a moment to glance to her upon his immediate response. "I would caution you from believing something just because it was told to you. It would be wise to deduct the truth from your own observations. When_ we_ meet the Soul King, I invite you to ask him yourself as to why he sees it fit to order innocent beings as yourself destroyed. I too, am interested in whatever answer he has to that question." Eyes as wide as saucers, Orihime had no response to his surprising advisement.

"You are of your own free will to believe what you wish, but regardless of whether or not you accept what I've just told you- understand now that I _will _be going to challenge and overthrow the Soul King and you _will _be accompanying me when I leave to do so. I expect perfect cooperation and I don't believe I need to demonstrate that it is well within my power to force you if you should choose not to comply. Is there anything about that that isn't clear?"

"No, Lord Aizen," Orihime replied submissively to his firm words as if it was automatic. Even with the threatening undertones of his command the otherworldly man spoke them without sacrificing an ounce of perceived pleasantness.

Their unhurried trek down the halls was suddenly disrupted by the shrill of squeaky wheels barreling toward them. The hulking Arrancar responsible immediately drug his feet in a last minute attempt to halt the cart he had been running behind. A few of the pale colored objects sitting atop it went crashing to the ground and shattered against the tiles.

"Lord Aizen!" The massive Hollow gasped. The stoic man merely arched an irritated brow as the creature dropped to his knees and hurriedly gathered the broken pieces. Orihime looked on silently, as one of the ceramic-like shards spun toward their feet. With a flick of his finger, Aizen commanded the object from the floor to settle within his open palm. The Arrancar's blunder was immediately forgotten when Orihime froze beneath the focus of her captor's gossamer gaze.

"Your friends made quite a mess when they had come to rescue their princess. Debris from what they once rendered asunder still haunts these Palace halls." He spoke sonorously. Reaching for her hand, he gently pressed the smooth side of the scuffed remnant into her palm. Curling the girl's slender fingers to wrap around it he allowed his hand to lingeringly remain encompassing her fist.

"In war there is no latitude for amnesty. Adhering to some unfounded sense of morality is the origin of weakness and yet-" He paused to stare, as if he was searching for something within the widened pools of her silvery gaze. "There is no question that the demise of an ally, an enemy, or one somewhere in between is an experience of the utmost profound." Orihime winced at his soft spoken words. She was having difficulty understanding their purpose as his close proximity and the unreadable emotion behind his eyes commanded her fixation.

"Do you feel it?" He uttered deeply. "That reiryoku is one you should recognize."

Knitting her brow together, she looked up helplessly to him. He regarded her with only patient silence within the enmeshment of his stare with hers. Though she concentrated on the object trapped in her hand, she didn't know how she was supposed to detect any other spirit than the one currently drowning her senses. Even though Orihime knew Aizen was currently suppressing his power for the benefit of his palace and the much weaker beings around him, its manifestation still felt absolutely monstrous. She couldn't fathom how Ichigo had been able to face another with this much spirit energy, let alone succeed in defeating him. His warm skin against hers only made the feeling more pronounced. Its ghostly presence was intimidating, but strangely not suffocating like she would have expected. After a long pause of silence, he wordlessly relinquished her closed hand and nodded to gesture behind her.

Turning around to look, Orihime blinked upon observing that she was standing before a room that appeared different from the one she was imprisoned in years ago. By the time she twirled back to the mysterious man he already had his back turned to her and was slowly retreating in the opposite direction.

"Cooperate, Orihime," He spoke without turning around. "And the ones who fall in their vain attempts to stop me will be less. Get as much rest as you can, because when you awake once more, time for slumber may be a limited luxury." Watching him walk away until he disappeared, Orihime moved quickly into the room and immediately pulled the heavy door shut hoping to ward off any stray Arrancars who may come exploring. The small suite was utilitarian in appearance- holding none more than a simple bed and sofa at the far wall. There were no bars on the windows this time as if Aizen knew she would obey him and apparently was confident enough that if she did manage to escape she could be stopped with ease.

Sliding her back against the door, she collapsed to the ground as if utilizing the furniture would somehow acquiesce to her defeat. Gripping her fists tightly at her sides, a shallow sob escaped immediately followed by a trail of hot tears.

"What a load of _bullshit_," She cried aloud through grit teeth. Orihime never cursed- her brother had always told her that good girls didn't swear.

But how else was she to respond to such deceit? He was _lying_- that was a guarantee. Did he think she was some fool- hadn't she been through all of this once before? No, he had made it perfectly clear to her that it mattered not to him if she believed his words, but why bother with such dishonesty? She hadn't a chance of defeating him, let alone Grimmjow, so _why _torment her? Couldn't that man have found someone else to use as his bait this time?

Lifting her watery gaze to the window, she bit her lip in an effort to halt her whimper at the sight of the eerily shining Moon. Steadying her panicked breaths, she pondered upon some of the pieces of this situation not adding up to resemble anything that made sense. Aizen hadn't allowed her the same accommodations as last time. She had left no good-bye note and no evidence that she had in fact been abducted. In fact, the crime seemed rather perfect as she was on her way out of town and it would be several days before someone were to contact her and possibly investigate when she hadn't answered.

His claim of desiring to protect her from the Soul Society's mendacious plot …there wasn't a doubt in her mind that those words were completely false. What care did that man have for her, even if Uryū's prediction was correct? He hadn't seemed all that concerned with her well-being when she had been whisked into his horrid schemes originally. In fact if it hadn't been for Ulq-

An icy chill converged around her when the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. The only one of these sentient Hollows who had displayed to her even a shred of civility was dead- he had long ago been turned into ash upon his defeat by Ichigo. Though she couldn't outright say she believed Ulquiorra had cared for her she could at least accept that unlike so many of the others he hadn't desired to kill her. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she resisted the urge to vomit upon imagining what kind of Arrancar may come prancing into her room tonight to "play" with her as if she were some disposable toy. A burning feeling in her left palm interrupted her dread, and remembering the object Aizen had put into her hand she let it fall to the floor.

Looking toward the unassuming piece of debris glowing back at her in the pale moonlight, she suddenly felt something uncannily familiar. Her lavender-gray eyes widened when she felt a sluggish presence- the one she had missed while swimming amidst the powerful Soul Reaper's spirit power. The reiryoku was so small. She could liken it almost to a tiny heartbeat that would go undetected if she wasn't listening carefully.

"Ulquiorra," Orihime whispered in wonder. Gaping toward the fragment she tried to imagine from what place of his partial mask it could have come from. She had watched him turn to dust with her own eyes, was it fate that the final piece left of his body could wind up in her possession? The young woman's thoughts rolled back to Aizen and his mysterious words. It didn't make much sense that he'd want the Espada revived and it was only chance that the servant in the hallway had been towing a cart full of trash that just _happened _to contain the last piece of Cuatro's remains. There was no way Aizen could have predicted this. He may be a master of schemes but this was too narrow- too convoluted even for him.

Wetting her lips, Orihime pondered whether reviving an enemy was even in her best interests, and that was beside the point of whether it was even possible. But he wasn't an enemy; he was as Aizen had described. Ulquiorra was a creature of limbo – a person in between that of an adversary and a friend. Wiping her eyes she wore a wry smile. She'd like to think that in the end, Ulquiorra had been a friend. Sucking in a determined breath, the auburn-haired girl sat up on her knees and lifted her shaking hands.

"Sōten Kisshun, I-I reject!" Orihime called upon her powers and watched as the translucent oval passed over the shard. Studying it carefully, the young girl felt as if her heart shattered when the object promptly fragmented and was reduced to dust. Falling back against the door her tears returned with a vehement force. The violent sobs escaped openly as her last sliver of hope quickly faded into oblivion. It was foolish of her to believe in something so impossible. There was no room for optimism when she was destined to sail into the depths of hell with the devil himself captaining her doom.

Burying her dampened face into her hands, the sobs failed to lessen as every one of her revered dreams seemed to quickly grow black and dissolve from her mind as if they had never existed in the first place. If only she hadn't come to Karakura this night- if only Aizen had escaped his imprisonment a few years later- perhaps she'd be floating amongst the Moon and stars and be none the wiser to the wars of Gods, souls, and the monsters among them. A sudden and loud shatter prompted Orihime to lift her gaze and to her confusion the large dome of her still formed Sōten Kisshun ruptured into an uncountable amount of pieces.

A paralyzing pair of brightly green eyes stared down toward her with a sense of emptiness she recalled witnessing in only one other. The ebony-haired creature dressed pristinely in white appeared exactly as she had last remembered him. Studying her without any visible sign of sentiment, the pale faced Espada with mime-like tear drops running down his cheeks casually tucked his hands away into his pockets.

"Woman," Ulquiorra spoke without inflection. "What could you possibly be crying about now?"

* * *

><p><strong>THANK YOU: Sarah12030, rootali, ThePandaHat, QueenBlade, anonymous, Sariniste, nypsy, Syria, whitechan16, Sakura Waldorf, <strong>and **Flare-Flare** for reviewing last time (and those who fav'd and alerted too, who I won't name just in case they want to be anonymous)!

Oh my gosh, I'm so thrilled you guys liked it! I usually would wait a bit before posting a new chapter (at least a week!) but since I'm so freaking happy and already had this and the next one written I thought I'd post it early! I generally look at 10 reviews being a success, so, yay success, lol. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter more since there was Aizen/Orihime moments, ;).

My explanation of Aizen's escape may be kind of lame…it isn't that probable that he would choose to wait so long if he could escape earlier but you have to remember that I'm writing from how the characters (Orihime and Aizen) perceive their situations which may or may not be *real.* (Oh, illusions and perceptions are fun!) This is different for me, I usually tell a story from an omniscient narrator that can only look into one person's head so if there's anything that seems off let me know. I'm kind of liking this so far, though!

Hopefully Aizen doesn't seem too out of character. I'll admit I do feel more comfortable in Orihime's head :) . Thank you again for your reviews, I'd love to see more!


	3. A&O: The Captain

…

Escape from Gravity

El3v3n

**All characters belong to Tite Kubo.**

The Captain

Xx-Orihime-xX

Resilient eyelids shot open at the sound of the door creaking open. Orihime shifted from where she was crumpled on the divan and craned to see a familiar silhouette in the light of the doorway.

"Why are you still awake? Lord Aizen specifically ordered you to take your rest." Ulquiorra spoke plainly. Orihime looked stunned. It was still impossible to believe he had come back to life so instantly on her behalf. As it had always been, it was difficult to discern the stolid Arrancar's temperament.

"I was monitoring your room in my absence. I know that none of the service trash disturbed you." He continued. Smoothing out her skirt, Orihime kneeled up right as the pale skinned man approached. There was something unquestionably nostalgic about seeing Ulquiorra again. Even with taking into account everything that had happened she had retained an unsettling feeling of how the Espada had faded from existence. He paused a respectable distance away from the sofa appearing unthreatening though his sword was visible from beneath his uniform. With a snap of his fingers a mellow glow filled the room from overhead – she hadn't before known how the lights were turned on.

"You spoke to Lord Aizen?" Orihime dared not forget the honorific from his title.

"He said my reemergence was unexpected, but was more concerned that you were clearly not sleeping as he had directed you." He responded. Her expression blanked. That sort of reaction was preposterous. She supposed only Aizen could be so unimpressed upon seeing a long fallen ally returned from the fate of death.

"Lord Aizen has no reason to be pleased with my resurrection. I was defeated by your human friend, and was therefore unable to protect Las Noches from its invaders as commanded. What further use to him am I?" He explained to her silence. The young woman felt her throat stitch as she stared toward the other who was wholly unmoved despite his melancholy charge. That last claim was words she had heard spoken before though not in perfect order and with a different voice.

It hadn't occurred to her until now how precisely Aizen had woven his subordinates around his fingers. Though it had been only days she had been forced to submit to his command it had been confoundedly devastating to hear him announce to everyone that she was no longer of any importance. She couldn't imagine what effect that recognition would have on a subsidiary such as Ulquiorra, but instead she saw nothing- only a passionless Arrancar who acknowledged his own reality without any unnecessary fuss. An ardent urge swarmed in her belly. If she had been a bolder person she'd have leapt to her feet and shook him for nothing more than to bring shock to those hollow eyes. Perhaps if she was even more audacious she would've told him that he should reassess his value because as it was, Aizen had _also_ been overpowered by the same mere human as he. But her fantasies remained unuttered when Ulquiorra once again moved to speak.

"We Arrancar follow Lord Aizen for reasons as varied as we are ourselves individual. Many serve him out of fear or for great respect for his power but even then no two followers could say they swear their loyalty for the exact same justification. I was born unto nothingness-" He spoke with breath like zephyr and hands lost deeply within the pockets of his hakama. "-And foolishly crawled into a world with visions that were ugly, smells and tastes that were vile, sounds that were irksome, and elements that burned when touched. Such things had never resided in the darkness and as it were I understood that bliss had only existed in nonexistence."

"Ul-quiorra," Orihime breathed his name.

"Lord Aizen seeks to destroy the cornerstone in which all worlds have built their foundation. I had hoped that in swearing fealty to him and his ambitions that everything would once again be reduced to the void I'd never again find in the cycle of death and rebirth. But so it has become, that reality is no longer." Orihime fisted the fabric of her skirt when the expressionless Espada suddenly tilted his head upon his observation. "I have not come into this world from nihility as before, but for a different purpose entirely."

"I-I don't understand," She protested to his pause.

"Orihime Inoue," Ulquiorra spoke her name as if the words were exotic to his tongue. Further earning her shock, the Cuatro Espada fell to kneel before her keeping his gaze toward the ground.

"I exist as a manifestation of your will and therefore pledge to you my allegiance. I will protect and serve you so that you may succeed to drive the conviction of what I have understood to be the true meaning of existence: where happiness and triumph can be found in seeking the intention of the human heart."

Xx-Aizen-xX

"Welcome back, Ulquiorra." The voice of the Lord of Las Noches varnished from where he lounged nonchalantly in his throne. The Espada's eyes were deadened upon him, but the demigod knew that his creation was listening.

"You informed our guest, just as I had asked." It wasn't really a question. Ulquiorra wouldn't have strayed from his command.

"I did." The newly reconstructed Hollow responded without hesitation.

"I would be correct to assume that upon such a revelation: the first thing she asked of you was to return her home, wouldn't I?"

"That is correct," was the man's unambiguous reply. Aizen's dark eyes gleamed with mirth, but only for a passing moment.

"And how did you respond?" He inquired thoughtfully whilst resting the apex of his cheek against two of his fingers.

"I informed her that I would not do so as I lack the strength to defeat you, therefore, the attempt would only put her in harm's way while she is presently in no such danger. To that effect I suggested that she merely obey as it was in her best interests." The Espada explained allowing his eyes to flutter closed.

"Very good, Ulquiorra," Aizen offered accolade. The observed silence between ruler and subject was suddenly interrupted by an impertinent newcomer barreling into the open room.

"What the-" Grimmjow bellowed when his eyes fell upon his deathly pale comrade. "Ulquiorra!" He exclaimed vexed by the appearance of the one who twice outranked him. The fourth elite Arrancar spared the other a rare display of reaction when he immediately scowled.

"Grimmjow," he spoke his name slow and scathingly; clearly remembering that the two had parted on hardly amicable terms. The sixth instantly bristled but both paused to move their gaze to the high throne upon a warning elevation of reiastu flooding the room.

"Grimmjow, how nice of you to join us," the ex-Soul Reaper's tone was nowhere as threatening as was the display of his power. "Ulquiorra has returned to us once more, so if you have a moment, there is something I would like to make explicitly clear to each of you." Seeing that both stood obediently at attention his neutral smile languidly reappeared.

"After all the time I had spent composing and individually grooming each and every member of my elite Espada it has come to my attention that even the last two survivors are no longer fit to fight on my behalf." The defected Captain could barely contain his grin as he flicked his syrupy irises upon the Sexta. Arrant dread flooded his face and he stiffened beneath the dominant man's specific attention. Jaegerjaquez's inability to outwardly conceal his emotions made him arguably the easiest Espada to mislead. At the moment he appeared borderline hysterical upon the fear of having unwittingly become expendable. But his worrisome revelation was false, because truthfully he and the rest of his comrades had all been _expendable _from the very beginning.

Even prior to his days as the Captain of Squad Five, Aizen had held no ill-conceived notions when considering a subordinate to be anything other than what it was meant to. No underling could be considered precious enough to be exempt of sacrifice if he deemed it necessary- regardless of how much effort had been exhausted to nurture the subject to their maximum potential. And why should he concern himself over how long their trivial life spans were? Even the military savvy Arrancar were mere mortals who eventually would age to complete uselessness or just die. Therefore it was only logical for the eternal being to regard his servants only as instruments and discard them once their blades had been dulled enough to function properly. There wasn't a being in existence that he didn't consider in this way, save one notable exception.

Orihime Inoue: was she finally sleeping? Did she lie dreamlessly- so pretty and silent with guardian blooms in her hair? Aizen felt his smile widen upon finally deviating his attention away from the terrified Espada.

He couldn't help but muse on how unprecedented it all was – humans were little more than specks of dust and yet _this_ human held a power that transcended some of his own abilities. And if it could be any more absurd it was a power she didn't even understand. The clever man wondered how she would react if she knew she had brought Ulquiorra back from annihilation with nothing more than the shard of a damned teapot. Of course it hadn't been quite that simple. She had sat in the Espada's old seat long enough that she'd gathered the faintest presence of his residual reiatsu on her hands and just by merely suggesting the ceramic debris had been something more than what it was had been enough to get the wheels turning in her head.

The girl's ability was beyond rejecting the occurrence of an immediate event. Similar to the Hōgyoku, the original parent of her power, the limits of her abilities were bound to her will and not necessarily the object. Under correct instruction, _his_ namely, he was certain she could master this extraordinary capacity and perhaps even to the level of being able to bring life to things that hadn't before existed. Did she have any idea she could be _immortal_? This mesmerizing young lady could stand at his side among the heavens for all eternity if he allowed it.

The idea was thrilling to him at the very least. Unlike his other lackluster subjects he could finally invest his time in a subordinate that was finally worthy of his efforts and not just in power but in the fact that she could belong to him _forever_. Every moment spent teaching her to become valuable would be worthwhile. There would be no limit to what she could achieve with him at her side as the only binding to a being's potential was time which would be amaranthine to the deities they would soon be.

Aizen rarely allowed himself to indulge in fantasizing of such unnecessary plots but the appeal of making Orihime his most loyal subject was something he just couldn't rid from his head. Just imagining snatching away the most beautiful creature ever granted to the Living World and making her completely his own left him feeling atypically compulsive in the most exciting of ways. Not to mention how glorious it would be to anger those who cared about her, especially the Substitute Soul Reaper. The whole proposed endeavor roused him so that he wasn't sure what he anticipated more: finally achieving this girl's worship or the look on the Soul King's face upon calmly informing him that he'd soon be sitting in Aizen's seat no longer.

As gratifying as his thoughts were he still hadn't figured out how he'd convince this little princess that his views on the world were the ones worth heeding. The noble were not so easily manipulated, which is why he rarely bothered with them. Those that were weak and wicked were choice candidates for such endeavors and Orihime fit into neither of those categories. One may argue on behalf of the first. It was certainly within the Captain's power to break her fragile body and willful spirit if he sought to, but broken beings didn't grow or retain the innate desire to learn so utilizing such means of coercion wouldn't do. Releasing an imperceptible sigh, Aizen's eyes clouded over with thought as he summoned forth the image of the beauty to the front of his mind.

Attaining a creature's submission by their own volition required appealing to its innermost selfish desires; even ones that could be unrealized. Orihime was inherently selfless to the point that it irritated him. This characteristic was where her naiveté showed the most. It was ridiculous that a being of such fantastic power would so readily offer herself up as a martyr for the sake of protecting garbage or _friends _as she referred to them. He had already promised her not to harm them, but even allowing time for her to recognize his sincerity he knew that wouldn't quite be sufficient to erase all of her doubts. No, what did this enigmatic girl desire above all other wants or needs?

The Arrancar were far simpler creatures. Shifting his gaze to Ulquiorra he held his even expression upon the Espada who stood completely at ease as he awaited Aizen's further instruction with a patience that would remain until death returned to claim him for a second time. For him, Aizen fulfilled possibly the most fundamental need of them all – a purpose. The stoic Arrancar truly feared nothing and would welcome his demise if Aizen wished it upon him. His emotionless gaze always looked upon his master with necessity as his only meaning for existence revolved around that which he revered. Grimmjow, however, was a completely different story.

The lower seated Espada was not near the picturesque of calm as was his comrade, and he couldn't help but sweat and grit his teeth upon once again falling beneath the more powerful man's attention. Unlike Ulquiorra whose loyalty required no maintenance, the Pantera could only be controlled by fear, which was honestly something Aizen enjoyed amusing himself with more often than not. The Sexta was like a wild animal – a force of nature that plundered and destroyed out of compulsion. What he didn't realize was that in doing so he was yearning for a power greater than him to bring order to his chaos, which is why he bent so easily under even the slightest form of intimidation from his creator.

_Orihime Inoue_. The syllables of her name played like an enchanting melody across his mind. Perhaps she'd respond better if he made the Ryoka boy her own. A sinful smile overtook his face at the thought. How amusing would that be? The great Ichigo Kurosaki reduced to nothing more than love slave at the hand of the man whom he supposedly defeated. In a perfect world perhaps that would work, but alas the girl was too compassionate to accept even that, regardless of how badly she desired the one who failed to return her affections. Why she bothered pining after the clueless boy was beyond him. Even by human standards it was apparent that she outclassed him in nearly every avenue. Human needs and emotions were below a being like Aizen, and in time that was something he'd teach to her as well.

_So, Orihime_, he pondered humorously to himself. _Where are your puppet strings? Assuredly they're ones not so easily identified or plucked but you can be certain – I will find them._

He'd begin winding his grasp around her with a solid foundation: _trust_. Once again settling his chestnut-colored hues upon the last two Espada he smiled engagingly. It was rather convenient the one the girl already trusted had fallen into the palm of his hand. And it was amusing to have the other for what would create an entertaining competition.

"Ulquiorra," he greeted, "it is imperative that for the duration of our campaign that Orihime Inoue not only be shielded from harm, but also from anything that would unnecessarily upset her. Her being in good spirits is integral to my plans. This is something I've deemed to be important, are you able to fulfill this task?"

"Yes, Lord Aizen," Ulquiorra responded with a respectful bow of his head.

"Grimmjow," Aizen spoke a little more sharply - effectively earning the other's terrified gaze. "You are to assist in this endeavor also. It is likely to require the both of your efforts, at least, _for now_." He emphasized.

"Yes, Lord Aizen."

Xx-Orihime-xX

Orihime wasn't sure when she had fallen asleep, but when she finally pried open her eyes it was to a sight she hadn't expected. Her blurry orbs filled of a vision she had only seen once before in a dream. In fact, she pondered on whether she _was_ dreaming because a clear and rose-colored sky wouldn't ever be found in Hueco Mundo. Sucking in a breath, she let her eyes close as if it would allow her to remain in this beautiful place for just a little while longer.

"Orihime," a voice called softly to her, "have you awakened?" Begrudgingly cracking open her ashen hues she noticed the presence of a few shadows obscuring her view of the sky. In her squinted focus she spied the petals of several lavender blooms hanging over her eyes that were a bit strange. The petite flowers radiated with a gentle glow and released an almost inconspicuous hum against their quiet surroundings. Sitting up from where she lay, the princess by name-sake took in the environment encompassing her with wonder. She had no memory of it but somehow she had been transported from her dreary room in Las Noches to wake up in an endless field of wild flowers. Reaching out to one of the blossoms she jumped when it dissolved upon being touched.

"That is a normal occurrence." The voice returned, this time commanding her attention. Ulquiorra stood amongst the never ending blooms. His white clad form appeared slim against the horizon that differed from the rest of the sky with a stunning blend of red and burnt orange.

"Though everything in this realm is made of reishi those flowers are of very high concentration. Resting amongst them should have increased your energy. Do you feel rejuvenated?" The Arrancar inquired after his explanation. She merely blinked under his stare. Come to think of it she did feel rather alert and her quickened breaths drew in air that seemed much cleaner than the heavy smog of Hueco Mundo.

"Where are we?" She asked while smoothing her rumpled clothing upon standing.

"I do not know for certain if it has a name, but Lord Aizen refers to it as 'The Royal Realm.' It is here that the Soul King and his Royal Subjects reside. We traveled here as you slept. I carried you so as not to disturb your rest."

Orihime couldn't help but feel flabbergasted upon the Espada's gesture. He may have been civil toward her at times in the past but she wouldn't have ever expected him to go out of his way to appeal to her comfort. Before she could inquire on their new location any further a sharp elevation of reiatsu commanded the attention of both.

"Grimmjow," Ulquiorra began to explain, "that was the signal that he has completed his task. Come, we are to join him immediately." In a blur of speed he approached and lifted her into his arms just as the words sunk into her understanding.

"W-wait!" Orihime protested. "What's going on? Where are we going? Can't I walk there?" But the Arrancar did not pause and instead used his sonído to zip them across the foreign lands. The passenger felt her stomach drop and squeezed her eyes shut in order to fend off the dizzy feeling.

"We are going to a temporary residence. I realize you are able to walk but the distance is great and you move too slowly." His voice sounded distorted at their great velocity. Soon Ulquiorra came to a stop and Orihime was once again able to open her eyes and stand thankfully on her own feet.

Before them was an enormous and beautiful estate that, much like the Seireitei, was of traditional Japanese style. Rows of sakura trees, full in their pink blooms, clustered around the short bridge to the great building's entrance. A quiet stream trickled beneath them as they crossed.

"Is this the palace where the Soul King lives?" Orihime breathed in wonder.

"No," Ulquiorra responded. "As I said before, this is the place Grimmjow has obtained for us to temporarily reside while we are here." When they entered the massive dwelling, the gravity of its obvious lack of inhabitants came crashing down upon her.

That word, _obtain_, surely Ulquiorra wasn't suggesting that Grimmjow had gone out and negotiated rent or purchased a place for them to live. No, most likely the topaz-haired terror had found a house to his liking and simply just _killed _its inhabitants. As if her thoughts had summoned his appearance she stiffened when the Arrancar came sauntering toward them from one hallways. Pausing before her he stood tall and puffed out his muscular torso that was bared beneath his opened half-jacket.

"Hey," He addressed her with a toothy grin. "Come on, I've already found your room." He gestured with the curl of his hand upon turning around. While she and Ulquiorra followed his lead silently, Orihime couldn't help but feel absolutely morbid as Grimmjow walked with a bounce in his step. The unpredictable man seemed grossly pleased with himself. How many lives had he destroyed to prepare for their arrival? She prayed to the silent Gods that there hadn't have been many, but in a place of this size that reality seemed unlikely. Sliding back a room's partition Grimmjow waltzed into the enormous bedroom.

"Pretty nice, eh?" The Sexta inquired with his arms opened wide. "I'm pretty sure this belonged to the lady of the manor." Orihime cast her eyes briefly around the room taking note of the absurdly large bed that was so immaculately dressed in white that it was as if it had never been touched. The suite appeared to also contain a private bathroom that was separated by an additional fusuma just beyond a small decorative pool afloat with pink-flowered lily pads. Looking back to Grimmjow, she swallowed uncomfortably as he stared toward her with approval seeking eyes. Regardless of the man's newfound charm she couldn't find it in her to placate his disturbing gladness.

"Hey, look at this." He spoke up when he garnered no response from either of the room's occupants. Approaching yet another sliding partition he opened it to reveal a closet space within. Tiers upon tiers of multi-colored garments hung on the interior and Grimmjow was quick to pluck a honey-colored and silken kimono at his nearest reach.

"Look at all these clothes! Girls enjoy stuff like this, right?" Looking to the garment and then back to Orihime he paused to raise a scrutinizing brow. "Well, maybe there's something else a little bit stretchier there's no way this thing is fitting over your tits." He commented turning toward the clothing in his hand with a disapproving glare. Horror spread across Orihime's visage as the Arrancar reentered the closet. With her mind's eye she pictured the woman who had once owned all these beautiful things. Faceless and nameless she imagined her to be petite, perhaps as much as Rukia, but none of that mattered now as her life had been savagely ended by this teal haired monster. When Grimmjow exited the closet with several more hangers in hand, his eyes widened on the redhead who defied her loveliness with floods of hot tears trailing her cheeks.

"What the fuck? You're not supposed to be doing that! What's wrong?" He bellowed, which only further elicited her sobs.

"You imbecile." Ulquiorra sighed. "Females of the World of the Living are sensitive to the perception of their size. You just insulted her by insinuating she was too large to fit into that clothing."

"What?" Grimmjow roared with his jaw hanging open. "I didn't say she was fat! She's like the tiniest thing I've ever seen, you just got big boobs, alright? It's a good thing, I promise." He protested.

"Why did you do this?" Orihime managed to choke. "Why did you have to kill them?" Taking a savage wipe at her tears, the curvaceous woman momentarily ceased her crying upon catching a glimpse of the Espadas' equally blank stares.

"Orihime," Ulquiorra still sounded strange using her name, "whom are you speaking of? Who was killed?" Turning her watery eyes to the floor, she hid them beneath her orange locks and wrapped her arms around her middle.

"The people who lived here." She responded in an almost whisper.

"Eh?" Grimmjow demanded loudly. "I didn't kill anyone. Either your senses are off or you really are dense." Returning her gaze to them confoundedly, Ulquiorra slowly inclined his head.

"Based on what little presence of reiatsu is left in this place, I'd estimate it's been over a hundred years since a person has set foot inside this building before today." Reaching to lightly touch the garments held in Grimmjow's hand he again nodded. "These have never been worn." The Sixth Espada released a throaty grumble and chucked the clothing to the floor.

"This mission is retarded. Aizen is probably out there kicking the crap out of the so called 'guards' in this place and I'm stuck searching for a god-damned vacation house. I'm better than this - where the hell is the action?" He snarled.

"You weren't instructed to find just any residence, this is the exact location he directed you to take us to, correct?" Ulquiorra inquired listlessly.

"Yeah, it's the _exact _one! So, chill the fuck out, batboy!" The other replied heatedly but not before giving the higher ranked Espada an angry shove. Ulquiorra merely stared back at him.

"Restrain yourself, Grimmjow. I will not deal with your insolence in this situation."

"Whatever." The Arrancar dismissed. Tossing his irritated gaze upon Orihime he huffed. Watching the two argue had calmed her depressed episode but she still didn't feel completely comfortable under his feral gaze.

"Are you happy now? No one's dead, alright?" He asked somewhat calmer. Gifting him a quick nod, he responded with a sigh.

"Good. At least I'm not bored for nothin'. What now, Ulquiorra?" With all eyes upon him Ulquiorra crossed the room and approached a low sitting vanity. Opening one of the drawers he pulled out a stack of what appeared to be clothing and re-approached the odd pair.

"Lord Aizen has instructed that you change into these clothes. You must do so immediately because I can sense his approaching presence at this very moment." Accepting the parcel from the taller man she looked curiously down to the black and white fabric in her hands.

"This is a Soul Reaper uniform." She spoke absently. Shuffling the garments she noticed one additional piece that was white, long sleeved and checked with black diamonds and circles at its bottom hem.

"This is a Captain's haori!" Orihime exclaimed and turned her questioning gaze upon the others. "Why would I wear this?"

"Just put it on and be as swift as you can. We'll be waiting outside the room." Ulquiorra explained and the two filed into the hallway, shutting the fusuma behind them.

After a considerable amount of fumbling and a few failed tries of tying her obi knot, Orihime entered the hallway where Ulquiorra stood calmly and Grimmjow leaned against one of the walls in waiting. Immediately approaching her, the darker haired man took a long, sheathed katana and attached it to the white sash beneath her jacket despite the girl's blush at his assistance.

"This way." He ordered simply, and Orihime obeyed as the two walked in front of her through the winding hallways. The sword felt surprisingly light at her waist. Certainly this wasn't a real Zanpakutō; to whom would it belong to? Nervously reaching to pull at her hair, she praised herself for pinning it up when she got dressed as it would keep her from looking fidgety in front of whoever they were going to meet.

If the two Espada had any idea what was going on they sure weren't sharing much in conversation. Both were completely silent as they marched toward the home's exit. When Ulquiorra's hand touched the gliding door, she immediately sensed the presence of the true Captain among them. Though Aizen's impressive reiatsu was concealed it was impossible not to notice its distinct prominence.

Stepping outside behind her two escorts Orihime noticed at once that the atmosphere's color had changed to a meeting of olive green and navy that split the sky in half. Before them stood what appeared to be two strangers but on closer inspection the faux officer's eyes widened upon the one she recognized. Also dressed in a Soul Reaper's black kimono Aizen had once again adopted the appearance he had dawned as a Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. His woodsy colored locks were tousled wildly around his face which was also shielded by a pair of square and black rimmed glasses.

"Ah, here she is." The disguised Aizen spoke airily to the strange male who stood beside him. "I see you've already settled in, Captain Inoue." He spoke to her. Even in the darkening evening she caught a glint behind his windowed lids that seemed to whisper words into her ear though he didn't speak them.

_Play along, Orihime... or else._

* * *

><p><strong>THANK YOU<strong> to those who reviewed last time: **ThePandaHat, nypsy, rootali, Syria, Sakura Waldorf, QueenBlade, LadyDream3512, Anon, Sariniste, **and **ssapientia**! I really appreciate the support…reviews/feedback are the reason I post on this site, otherwise these little stories would just live as fantasies in my head!

So this chapter was really…muse-y. But hopefully you still appreciated though there wasn't direct Orihime/Aizen interaction which is what I'm sure you're all here for. I'm really taking the time to set this up but if you think it's moving too slow and you have some advice on what here isn't important/things you don't care to see or what not…please let me know!

Thanks to you all again (and to those who fav'd and C2'd)

~Kochou-hime


	4. Orihime: A Sky without Stars

…

Escape from Gravity

El3v3n

**All characters belong to Tite Kubo.**

A Sky without Stars

Xx-Orihime-xX

Orihime attempted to not appear disrupted but she couldn't help but feel antsy in the presence of the stranger who was tearing through the scrolls he had brought with him with reckless abandon.

"I can't seem to find the proper paperwork here, who did you say you spoke to again?" He asked, tossing a suspicious glance toward the "Captain." Orihime stared back at the man who was middle-aged in appearance. She could feel the tension oozing off of Grimmjow to her right. Ulquiorra knelt much more calmly at her other side where they had all gathered at a table within the villa.

"This appears to be the correct document." Aizen instructed, tapping a long finger against one of the scattered pieces of parchment. Letting her attention drift to the traitor her face filled with heat at the sight of his inveigling smile. The candlelight reflecting against his glasses veiled his eyes but she could feel his gaze upon her. She imagined that he was laughing at her in a deep and throaty voice that was worthy of a villain, but no such sounds were made.

Within the stranger's eyes, Aizen was an unassuming Soul Reaper who was impossibly pleasant as he pointed out the error in the other's fuss. Orihime averted her stare when the man's eyes widened on the article.

"Oh, oh my. You are correct! How could I have missed this? Please forgive me." The bearded man responded with a sorrowful bow of his head. Aizen turned to him and held his even smile.

"It's no trouble at all." He replied kindly. From the corner of her eye she focused on her captor again and couldn't help but marvel upon his mask. He disguised the monster he truly was so infallibly that Orihime had to stop herself from considering the possibility that he had transformed into a different person just by putting on a pair of glasses.

"I believe congratulations are in order!" The other grinned and stood up from his knees. "It's a great honor to be called up to the Royal Guard, congratulations Captain Inoue." He finished with a bow.

"Uh-," She paused to swallow, "I mean, thank you!" Settling back down, he plucked the piece of paper and studied it intently.

"Orihime Inoue, honorable Captain of Squad Five has been officially promoted as one of the elite members of Squad Zero: his majesty's personal guard." He read aloud. "In her appointment she has been granted the accompaniment of three subordinates in which she has chosen her vice-captain, fourth and sixth seated officers. I'm assuming that would be you three?"

"Yes." Aizen replied before the bristling Grimmjow could answer with something brazen.

"Ah, thank goodness for that."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" The sexta snapped with such force that the man almost fell backward in shock.

"Oh, my apologies, I often forget how disconnected we are from Soul Society. You see, we hear nothing about what goes on in the other Worlds so it makes sense that you all wouldn't get any news from here either." He replied, nervously rubbing the back of his head. "This household was originally built for the last Captain to be promoted over one-hundred years ago: Captain Hikifune of the Twelfth Division, but she, well, she, ah-" he cleared his throat and pursed his lips for several moments. "She performed ritual jūmonji giri with her own zanpakutō before ever once stepping into these quarters." A pregnant pause followed his words but when Orihime finally recalled the meaning behind the term she nearly choked on her breath.

"S-she killed herself?" Her voice cracked. "B-but why?" The smile faded from Aizen's face as he too regarded the other in feigned concern. The informant sighed.

"I haven't been around long enough to hear of anything else like it, but I suppose it may not be all that uncommon. After all, service in Squad Zero is a permanent position to be carried out for eternity without being allowed to see one's loved ones again, so she must have rejected it in the most honorable way she knew of." He said with a shrug. "But you already knew that didn't you? Which is why I'm glad you requested bringing your familiars along with you. That was a smart move." Orihime didn't respond to his compliment. She was currently being crushed beneath the weight of the statement before it.

She would _never_ be allowed to see her friends again?

"Pardon me, but it appears as if Captain Inoue is ready to take her rest." Aizen seized the man's attention and all but Orihime came to stand. She barely felt Ulquiorra gently pull her to her feet and guide her to follow both Aizen and the unfamiliar man toward the exit.

Would she really never again see another one of Tatsuki's tournaments? Or be the only one to laugh at Kon's stupid jokes?

"When will Captain Inoue make the Soul King's acquaintance?" Aizen asked. The man responded with a chuckle.

She would _never_ again see that scowl, the one that was framed by hazel eyes and a fit of orange colored hair.

"Your guess is as good as mine. If he wants to meet with any of you it'll be sent for. Myself? I've never even met the rest of Squad Zero let alone earned an audience with his honorable majesty."

"Ichigo…" his name escaped her lips in a whisper. No one seemed to acknowledge it but Ulquiorra who closed his eyes. Walking into the cooler evening, the sky was a full shade of navy but not quite as dark as a night in the World of the Living. Turning back to look at her, the supposed liaison paused to pass his eyes over her smaller figure.

"I'll send attendants here in the morning: a cook, maids, landscapers, tailors- anything and anyone you should need to have this mansion running in perfect order."

"Ok," She somehow managed to muster, too focused on holding back tears to recognize his shameless gawking of her ample bosom despite the baggy clothing worn over it. Licking his lips, he suddenly grinned and leaned in to hug her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Captain, my name is-" before he could finish a heavy hand fell on his shoulder and prevented him from moving any further. A slight inflection of reiatsu blazed but it was enough to bring a look of panic to the official's expression where he stared up to the taller man's narrowed eyes. Aizen's dangerous gaze was quickly replaced with a smile and he retracted his hold on the man's arm.

"I think that will be all for tonight, thank you."

XxXxXxX

As she drifted along the hallways Orihime had finally concluded that all possibilities of escaping were futile. Assuming the Ōken was in Aizen's possession she didn't have a hair of a chance of being able to take it from him. Even if she managed to steal it she had no idea how to use it to transport herself out of this strange world.

When Ulquiorra had escorted her back to her quarters she thought she'd be thankful to have time to herself to think, but thinking had only led to acknowledging the depressing reality of her powerlessness. Eager to leave her eerily quiet room, Orihime wandered the building aimlessly. Moving around made her feel a little better and there was a tiny part of her that was hoping to bump into Ulquiorra. Even though the Cuarto Espada would likely scold her for leaving her room at such a late hour it would at least be a distraction. Maybe he wouldn't care. No one had told her she was to stay confined in her room. Where could she escape to?

Orihime sighed. Of course neither of the Arrancar nor Aizen had offered her any explanation as to what was going on and she knew better than to ask. The tale of former Captain Hikifune's demise left her stomach tied in knots. Other than its sad and horrifying nature there was something about the situation that just seemed…off.

Glancing to her right she noticed that one of the partitions was slid open to reveal a small outdoor veranda. Curiously moving toward the flickering light beyond the opening her steps fell dead upon catching the sight of a figure in the shadows. Praying the powerful man hadn't noticed her comparably miniscule presence she shifted to move away.

"Orihime," the sound of her name induced a flinch, "why don't you join me?" Aizen's voice carried softly through the air. Of all the times to come up with an excuse to decline, she instead slid past the doorway and toward the candlelight as if she was a moth drawn to the irresistible flames.

He looked so much different to her than he had in her nightmares. Instead of being seated in towering thrones or modernistic furniture he leaned against the building appearing comfortable where his attention was focused on a book against one bent leg. He still retained an air of nobility despite his modest seat, almost as if he were an exotic sultan lounging carelessly amongst the colorful pillows at his back. Looking up from the pages he smiled toward her a little more crookedly than he had for their previous visitor.

"Have a seat," he bid her, waving his hand toward another zabuton separated from his own by a low sitting table. Eyeing the surface she spotted not one but two cups alongside a white teapot and a few half-spent candles. Had he been expecting company?

Cautiously kneeling on the cushion she inwardly cursed herself for not changing out of her ridiculous Captain's haori and Soul Reaper uniform. Surely a man of his caliber would find a weakling like she wearing clothing that signified power absurd. This was beside the fact that he really didn't have a right to be too judgmental. After all, she was only wearing it under his order in the first place.

Orihime inhaled sharply when he reached across and linked a few fingers around the handle of the teapot. He poured the steaming liquid into her cup while watching her with a gleam of curiosity. She could barely meet his eyes. The tiny table between them was hardly a comfortable distance. This was far too close than she would prefer to be to someone so _dangerous_.

Unlike her, he had been quick to change out of the uniform belonging to the organization he hated. He once again wore a hakama and high-collared jacket that was primarily white and black lined. It was tailored to fit much more trimly to his frame than the free form kosode he had worn earlier. His false glasses were gone and his wild hair was now tamed save one stubborn piece that swept past his nose. Returning the teapot back to its place without spilling a drop, he ran a hand through his hair and set the book aside.

"Thank you," she murmured and immediately brought the cup to her lips. She wished she could just drown within the hot liquid. At the moment, that seemed preferable to whatever interaction this man currently wanted with her. When he didn't speak she allowed her gaze to drift back to him and observed that he was looking up into the sky that was cloudless and without any sign of the Moon or stars.

With his falcon-like stare not tearing into her, she couldn't help but admire his magnificent features. It was too bad he hadn't been born with such a superb appearance in the Human World. She nearly cracked a smile thinking of how the girls she had gone to school with would have reacted to him. He was easily just as attractive, if not more so, than the idols she had seen in magazines and on T.V.

It all really didn't make much sense. Happy, beautiful people weren't evil. They didn't harbor so much hate, so why did he? Surely things couldn't have been that much different for him in Soul Society then it would have been in her world. From what she had been told he had earned the respect of most everyone _and_ the admiration of women despite the majority of his handsome face being concealed by messy hair and wide-rimmed glasses.

She wondered what had driven him to all of this. Why would a person who had it all yearn for more as if all the things that begged to be on the tips of his fingers weren't good enough? Before she could query further, her thoughts were interrupted when he turned his intense stare upon her.

"So, Orihime," he spoke her name richly, "I understand you've sought to be an astronaut: one who journeys above the Earth to go beyond the borders necessary to sustain human life."

"Y-yes," she affirmed somewhat surprised at the continued revelation of personal information this man had gathered on her.

"Why is that profession so appealing?"

"What-what do you mean?" She asked, her ambient irises revealing their confusion. He chuckled.

"You don't strike me as the type to purposely put yourself at risk. Am I wrong? Do you enjoy hurling yourself into dangerous situations for the sake of adventure, Miss Inoue?" He clarified, with a hint of mirth riding his tone.

Gripping tightly onto her mug, she focused on taking another drink. There were probably about a hundred different answers she could have given to that question. They were the same ones she had practiced over and over in the mirror for when the time came to interview for a position with the space program. As if her mind wanted to taunt her, she could only focus on the real reason behind it all.

Truthfully, Orihime had been planning her triumphant escape from gravity ever since she was a young girl.

For most children such a dream wouldn't be considered abnormal. What could be more beautiful than wishing to explore the brilliantly shining stars that were told to bring hope and wishes to the ones who sought them? But for Orihime that hadn't been the case.

Most children didn't wish to run away to the only place where they thought they couldn't be followed. There were so many nights Orihime could only find solace in looking out her window. Gazing at the stars would help her forget when her father would run his filthy hands through her hair, spilling droplets of beer on her clothes as he'd waver drunkenly.

_You're a good girl, Princess_, he'd slur. She remembered how foul his breath was on her face and to this day she still couldn't handle the smell of beer.

She'd lie awake at night and pray for a spaceship, one that she and her brother could escape in, never to return. Being so small there was nothing she could do but cry when that man would beat Sora, all because he blamed him for their mother having not come home that night.

She had been so lucky that that life had only been a temporary nightmare, because like the knights in the storybooks Sora had saved her. Though she had made friends since then, like Tatsuki, who vowed to protect her she still held on to that tiny dream that only grew stronger after Sora had passed away. Somehow she believed if she could just get past the atmosphere, she'd be taking a piece of her beloved brother with her. Maybe if she could be a little bit closer to the stars she had made so many wishes on, she'd finally make peace with the painful memories that were impossible to erase.

She had no interest in sharing these feelings with this evil man, regardless of whether or not he was merely asking in an effort to cut her down with small talk. Luckily, there was no amount of cameras, spies or tricks that could assist him in learning what she had never admitted aloud.

"Well," Orihime finally spoke, lifting a hand to toy with her clipped back hair. "I guess I just always thought the Moon and stars were really pretty and wanted to see what it all looked like from the highest point I could go to see them." He seemingly accepted that ditzy answer, responding with a smile before taking a sip from his own beverage.

"You wish to see how it all appears from the very top, you say?" He questioned with a chuckle to himself. "I suppose that's another thing you and I have in common. So, how does it look? Was it all you had hoped for?" He further inquired with a sly raise of his brow.

"Uh, um," she responded, confusion written across her face.

"The Royal Realm is unlike the other Spirit Worlds that are located on the same plane as the World of the Living. The Universe you have come to know exists _below_ this one. That is why this world appears and feels different. It may seem peculiar to see a sky without planets or stars, but those existences are ultimately only temporary. This realm is eternal and is constantly renewed with spirit energy that can never be extinguished." Orihime was in awe of his explanation.

"This place spans over the entire Universe? But all of Outer Space is so unfathomably large. This realm must be even _larger_." The brainy red-head sputtered out her thoughts.

"Correct," he replied with a flicker of amusement passing through his eyes. Orihime found herself getting a little over excited about the prospect of it all. The limits of the Universe were hypothesized to be boundless but according to Aizen they did in fact at some point end.

"If that's true, the other members of Squad Zero that man was talking about could literally be light years away from where we are right now." She continued to voice the thoughts in her head. "How could you have found this specific area in the first place, do you know where the Royal Palace is?" When he regarded her with a silent smirk Orihime felt her face flush in embarrassment. She had forgotten herself in her musing. This wasn't a classroom at the University or a friendly conversation at Space Camp. This was an assassination plot to which she had become one of Sōsuke Aizen's disposable pawns. He wasn't just going to reveal the extent of his plans to her like the evil doers in the mangas she read. His brown hues studied her expectantly, almost as if he awaited her to answer her own question, but Orihime was suddenly feeling very unconfident in her observations.

"That story the emissary told of Captain Hikifune," he spoke up whilst moving to refill their glasses. "It seemed odd, didn't it?" While Orihime thought she'd be thankful for a subject change, this one was equally as unsettling.

"It was very sad. Any event where a person takes their own life is a tragedy."

"Not that," he responded quickly, capturing her surprised eyes when he set the teapot back down. "Do not harbor any illusions of those within the Court Guard Squads. Many of them are cowards who are unable to think for themselves." There was a taste of hate in his words. Though he was a master of controlling his emotions he seemed to not bother to hide his disdain for the Soul Society.

"What I meant," he paused to take a drink of his tea. "Isn't it strange that a King who's supposedly all-powerful and lives in a dimension where no one can enter without the Ōken would employ a personal army of protectors?" He asked her blanked expression. "A squad of guards who fail to detect when intruders enter their dimension without permission?"

She had assumed Aizen had used his power to induce illusions to authenticate her as Squad Zero's newest member, but instead he was suggesting he had only done so to the fool the messenger. If she didn't know better than to not trust his expression, she'd say he appeared disappointed that a flock of angry Soul Reapers hadn't barraged the compound with Zanpakutōs drawn.

"If the Royal Guard doesn't exist to protect the King," Orihime paused to chew on her lip, "Then what else could their purpose be?" She obliged his concern, her pale eyes searching him for the answer.

"That's the question, isn't it?" He smiled toward her. "I have a few theories. My favorite at the moment being that Squad Zero exists only to take unwanted Captains out of rank."

"But," Orihime spoke up, "That man said being called to Squad Zero was a promotion."

"Yes, only Captains who have put in a multitude of years of service and display exemplary skill are considered for the position. But from what I knew of her, Hikifune was ghastly vulnerable despite her amassed experience, even when compared to the younger Captains."

"If a Captain couldn't perform their duties well enough couldn't they just be asked to step down?"

"Part of the Captain's oath includes a vow to serve in the position for life, which leaves the only way out of it being death, exile or promotion to the King's guard. But that isn't exactly true, defection has been a popular exit strategy over the past few years," he added his last observation with a grin.

"But," Orihime wrinkled her brow. "That still doesn't make complete sense. Why the rush? Has the Soul Society been in some sort of danger where Captains needed to be moved and replaced immediately?"

"Your astute observations despite knowing so little of the Soul Society's laws are quite impressive, Orihime," the handsome man's compliment induced a tinge of a blush on her face. "And the answer to that is no. There are no records prior to the events four years ago suggesting the Soul Society had been threatened enough to warrant such actions. I think the reasons behind these promotions are personal, almost as if Captainship can be used as a reward."

"A reward for what?" She tugged at the long sleeves of her haori when his gaze cooled upon her.

"For carrying out a deed at the Soul King's command. Particularly, an _unforgivable _one."

An unforgivable deed? His dark words made her shiver. By her standards, Aizen had done many things that fell within that category. So it was frightening to imagine how heinous an act would have to be for him to consider it reprehensible.

Orihime paused to consider that he may be trying to manipulate her with false information. If what he was claiming was true it surely didn't paint the Soul King or his society in a favorable light. But that would be assuming Aizen cared or needed her to believe in him and at the moment there had been no evidence to suggest that.

This revelation only made Captain Hikifune's story seem even more tragic. She had been put in a situation where everything and everyone she had loved had been taken away from her for nothing more than to satiate the players of a political game. She must have lost every shred of hope for happiness to have taken her own life. Perhaps if she hadn't of gone through with it she could have made new friends. After all, the man who had spoken to them earlier had said he'd be sending people to help take care of the estate.

Actually, it was all rather convenient that she wasn't here because otherwise Orihime's being positioned as a fake Captain wouldn't have worked. She imagined they wouldn't move a new member of the Guard to the Realm without building a house for them first. The outside air suddenly felt a lot colder when a question clawed itself to the front of her mind. The messenger had explained why Hikifune's death hadn't been reported to the Soul Society, so how had _Aizen_ known this house would be abandoned?

She dug her fingernails into the cushion below upon recalling his critique of the Captain's abilities: _ghastly vulnerable _wasn't terribly specific but it was enough to make Orihime begin to hyperventilate. Maybe this is how he had originally obtained the Ōken. She imagined him using his power to escort her here, disguised as a loved one who had wanted to say goodbye. And when he reached to embrace her, he'd exploited that position to her hold her against him long enough to plunge a sword into her middle.

"Orihime?" Aizen questioned gently, "Are you well?" Gasping in her breath she looked to him unable to conceal the horror worn on her face. His smile had faded but he appeared perfectly undeterred by the woman beside him that was near spiraling into hysterics.

"I-" she choked on the words. "I'm just really tired. I should go back." Dizzy from standing up a little too quickly she nearly toppled over when he too had stood and stopped before her.

"A Lieutenant has many responsibilities," he smiled congenially down to her, "and one of them is to ensure his captain arrives safely to her quarters, especially in the event that she has chosen to travel without her weapon." He finished nodding toward where her "zanpakutō" had been worn at her hip. She had removed it earlier. What use did she have for a fake sword beyond the little charade they had put on for their guest? Allowing her eyes to drift away from his face they settled on the green hilt of his own weapon, the katana she had never seen him without.

Had he stood before Hikifune like this? Or did he embrace her against him like a lover when he twisted the blade, cutting left and then right through her insides? The vertical and final cut would have been the most painful. Orihime's lips trembled when she looked back to his placid eyes. Had he smiled so pleasantly throughout her execution? Did he at least let her see his face or his uncaring eyes so that she didn't die a slow and merciless death thinking that a loved one had committed the act?

"Orihime," his soft voice woke her from her terrifying daydream. "Shall we?" Having no choice but to concede to this little game of his she filed back into the building. She traveled without speaking down the winding hallways trying her best to put the horrifying revelation out of her mind. But she could feel him at her back, looming like a towering shadow that trailed her every step.

Coming to yet another intersection she realized that she was officially lost. Without words she felt Aizen's hand fall to her lower back and guide her to the right as he fell in to step at her side. His large palm pulsed with warmth through the back of her clothing. The sensation was soothing, but she couldn't help but straighten defensively at his touch. Reaching one of the many identical partitions, he slid one open revealing what she recognized to be her room. Gingerly reaching her fingers to brush against the smooth and light colored wood her heart roared when his hand moved to cover hers.

Trapped in the doorway she snapped her eyes up to his and immediately regretted it. His molten orbs were half lidded with tiny flecks of gold reflected from the light escaping behind her. When he reached to tilt her chin upward to regard him, a war of conflicting sensations erupted from within. Her body wasn't sure how it wanted to react. A part of her wanted to distance herself from this monster in the form of an attractive man as quickly as possible. But the other half was enjoying this strange attention. He leaned down toward her, positioning his mouth just inches from hers.

"I didn't kill Kirio Hikifune," He whispered, watching her irises flare. The breathy words tickled her lips and she unconsciously licked them.

"You could be lying." Her voice cracked.

"I could be." He further assaulted her with the vibrations of his baritone words. "But that isn't important." Releasing her and standing to full height he pulled a half smile across his lips.

"Should any of the Guard try to stand in between myself and my pursuit of overthrowing the Soul King I won't hesitate to cut them down. This may upset you but I believe you're intelligent enough to realize that this throne cannot be taken without bloodshed. Just be glad that this time your friends won't be involved." Nodding toward her room he shifted to move away. "It looks like there will be more time for rest than I had anticipated. It'd be wise to take advantage of it. Oh, and Orihime," he paused in his retreat to take in her small form stilled in the doorway. "That Captain's haori suits you, though some of the other Captains may disagree with me. Some would be furious to see you freely given what they had to earn. Perhaps you'd worry about what is to be their fate less if you knew of what sorts of things had been done to earn the Soul Society's highest honor."

"Lord Aizen?" Orihime asked, catching him just before he retreated from sight. "Who succeeded Captain Hikifune?"

"Perceptive as always," Aizen smiled. "That would be Kisuke Urahara. Goodnight, Orihime."

* * *

><p>THANK YOU: <strong>ThePandaHat, metsfan101, QueenBlade, CaPiTalStoRieS, Sariniste, Syria, nypsy, chupakabra, Veraozao, Sakura Waldorf, Fan, Anonymous, <strong>and **KatieKittensCat **for reviewing last time!

Few notes: This is the part of the story where I've really started to just make stuff up that hasn't been revealed but probably will in Bleach eventually so I think I'm just going to say this story is canon from manga chapter 480 just to cover myself. I think in the manga the Royal Guard is supposed to be living in the Palace with the Soul King but in this story they aren't! If anyone notices any glaring discrepancies let me know and I'll do my best to accommodate them.

I'm also looking for a **beta** for this story so if you or if you know someone who would be interested let me know! I've been messaging people listed under the Bleach section and no one replies. It's impossible to tell whether people are active or not!

This story is "officially" on the list of stories I'm updating now and I usually give preference to the ones who get the most feedback so please **review** if you'd like it to be updated quicker! Thank you for reading!

~El3v3n (Formally, "Kochou-hime")


	5. A&O: Like a Season's Change

…

Escape from Gravity

El3v3n

**All characters belong to Tite Kubo.**

Like a Season's Change

**[This chapter contains an ADULT SITUATION (18+) that is not necessary for the plot if you don't wish to read it. It is clearly marked with an XXX in border bars]**

Xx-Orihime-xX

Snatching the game piece between his fingers, Grimmjow hurriedly moved it across the checkerboard, violently knocking Orihime's away before plopping his down.

"King me!" He demanded with a triumphant smile.

"Oh! Um, ah-uh," Orihime stuttered. A heavy sigh sounded from behind her seat.

"Grimmjow," Ulquiorra spoke for the first time in hours, "She's explained the rules for this competition to you three times already and still you ignore them. That was an illegal move." Orihime rubbed the back of her head nervously.

"Well, it's not really a competition Ulquiorra, only a ga-"

"Bullshit!" Grimmjow growled. "There are a few things she didn't take into account. Our weapons are the same but I'm the more powerful opponent and so my weapon inflicts _more_ damage." Allowing his eyes to close, Ulquiorra maintained his position against the wall but not without a few insults escaping under his breath.

"That seems like pretty good logic, Grimmjow," Orihime intervened sweetly, "In fact, I believe you win this round!" With a wide grin, the Espada leaned back in his chair and wrapped his muscular arms behind his head.

"Of course I win! These scrimmages aren't even a warm-up." He responded haughtily, but suddenly frowned. Throwing a glance out past the veranda where they were gathered he narrowed his light blue eyes.

"Did you feel that, Ulquiorra?" He asked without moving his gaze from the sky.

"No," he responded calmly. Appearing flustered, Grimmjow shuffled in his seat but said nothing more.

Orihime bit her lip as she watched the normally fiery Espada gaze sullenly toward the horizon. She couldn't help but feel like she was witnessing the excruciating taming of a wild animal. Having to wait patiently in this place was like a cage to him, he being a creature that thrived on events much more thrilling than board games. But the young woman couldn't be any more thankful for his and Ulquiorra's company. It was a welcome distraction from the fears and woes that haunted her when she was alone.

How many times had she lay down in that bed? The one so monstrous in size that she feared she might become lost in it if she didn't cling to the edge. Without a definitive amount of sunrises and sets she was beginning to lose track of how much time had passed. Ten days, maybe thirteen? She couldn't be sure but she did know one thing for certain… no one would be coming to rescue her this time.

Following Grimmjow's gaze into the yard she looked toward the landscapers that were diligently pruning the trees. It was summer today, but it would perhaps be fall or even winter tomorrow. Maybe if she awoke early enough, she might be able to watch the flowers wilt; the leaves turn brown and cover the dying grass. This world was strange, but so were the people who lived here.

Just as she had been told when she first arrived, several workers came daily to care for the estate. Their presence had initially given Orihime hope of perhaps escaping or at least calling for help, but peculiarly not one of them ever spoke to her. When she'd walk past they'd drop their heads or avert their eyes as if she was some precious idol that couldn't be looked upon. Did they really consider her to be so noble? Or alternatively…had they been threatened to not to converse with her? The Espada were incredibly intimidating individuals, but both paled in comparison to the effect Aizen's arrival could have on a room.

Orihime's skin chilled when recalling what it felt like to be the object beneath his sharp gaze. She hadn't seen that much of him since their initial arrival, though the Espada hadn't mentioned it she could sense he would be gone on excursions during the daytime. On two occasions in the peak of the evening she had encountered him alone in the hallways, where he drifted by her like a ghost with a book held between his slim and pale fingers.

_Good evening, Orihime_. He had greeted her silkily, and on both occasions the polite reply had lodged in her throat.

Like a sprig of blooming nightshade, the man was beautiful but poisonous to one who was foolish enough to get too close. So Orihime made every effort to keep her distance, even if it meant returning to her quarters earlier to avoid meeting him on the way.

"Hey," the sound of Grimmjow's voice caught her attention. "I've noticed more and more these weaklings have been looking at Orihime, do you think they suspect she's not really a Captain?" He spoke quietly toward Ulquiorra. Eyes widening in surprise, she noticed a pair of men near the hedges looking and whispering in their direction. They both appeared young, no older than she in appearance. When one of them met her stare, he smiled and Orihime blushed.

"There would be no reason for them to suspect such a thing," Ulquiorra responded plainly. "You waltz around barely concealing your reiatsu and they can certainly sense both Lord Aizen and I's power. Logically, if we are stationed as her subordinates they should assume she is indeed powerful enough to be a Captain of the Guard."

"Still, I'm thinkin' we should do something to convince them." Grimmjow spoke, thoughtfully drumming his fingers against the table.

"Lord Aizen has not requested that action."

"Heeeey," The Sexta drawled, his eyes lighting up with his smile on Orihime. "You know how to use a sword, don't ya?"

"I-uh-" She gaped. "I took a little bit of kendo with Tatsuki, b-but-"

"Perfect!" He announced and leapt from his seat. "Let's give them a little show. Don't worry; I'll make you look really good. All you have to do is swing your sword a little and move your feet and I'll do the rest."

"Grimmjow…" Ulquiorra's voice lowered threateningly. Orihime looked up to Grimmjow who was standing in front of her and grinning like a mad man.

"But-I, how could I even _pretend _to fight you with a fake sword?" She protested. Suddenly he reached down toward the hilt of the katana that hung at the side of her silk and sage green kimono. Unsheathing it just slightly, Orihime winced at the sound of sharp metal screaming against the scabbard.

"Why would you have a fake sword?" Grimmjow asked with a growing grin. "When you might need a real one to defend yourself?" His irises darkened wickedly. Suddenly, a burst of power washed across Orihime's shoulder, and the Sexta went flying backwards leaving the sword at her hip safely in its sheath. Ulquiorra was at her side in a second, staring blankly toward his fallen comrade.

"You tryin' to start something 'quiorra?" Grimmjow growled and leapt to his feet.

"Under no circumstance are you to engage Orihime in combat."

"You idiot, it was only going to be a _fake _battle!"

"No."

XxXxXxX

Sometime later, the captive girl exited quietly from the dining room. She wore a frown at having strangely been served dinner all alone. Though in her time here she hadn't once seen either of the two Arrancars eat a single morsel of food they had always been present and kept her company at her past meals.

_Perhaps they're still arguing after what happened earlier_. She thought to herself. The katana at her waist suddenly felt heavy. At first she had been distressed to find out that it was a real blade but at the moment it gave her a strange feeling of power, though nowhere near enough to give her confidence in attempting a bold escape.

"Captain Inoue!" Turning toward the opened fusuma to the home's main patio Orihime eyed the stranger standing in the doorway, his back to the violet sky beyond him. It was the boy from earlier that had been trimming the hedges. He smiled brightly to her, beneath a mop of mussed azure colored hair. His clothes were covered in dirt reminiscent of the garden shears slung casually over his shoulder.

"Oh-hello," Orihime responded kindly, approaching the man who stood taller than her petite height.

"Since you're new around here I thought I'd let you know the end of the season solstice is occurring in just a few hours." Her face twisted in confusion. Hadn't she observed the seasons spanning over just days? He chuckled at her expression.

"It's a special event that occurs only once in about fifty years. The sky lights up with the entire spectrum of colors, it really is a beautiful sight." He explained. Orihime's face lit up.

"Really?" She asked wondrously, "That sounds amazing!" Smiling toward him, her face quickly flooded with a blush upon catching the warmth in his blue eyes. For a moment she felt as if she was once again back in the World of the Living, sharing a friendly conversation with a boy brave enough to flirt with her.

"It's a tradition for a lot of us to go see it on the big hill just beyond the compound. You know the one?" Orihime nodded. "It's the perfect spot, with no trees in the way to block the view. You…should come." His smile brightened as he outstretched his hand to hers, when suddenly a pale hand extended to block the other's touch.

Ulquiorra was practically hanging over her as he looked toward the kind yards keeper with a barbed glint in his eyes.

"Have you forgotten your duty?" The Cuarto broke the silence between them. "You are to care for the outdoor estate, do not come inside this residence for any reason or there will be consequences." Orihime watched in horror as the young man immediately bowed his head and backed out of the doorway.

"My apologies, sir, it won't happen again." He replied and quickly disappeared from sight. Staring toward her hand that had been robbed of another's touch the reality she had bravely been avoiding since being abducted came down on her like a ton of bricks.

Though she never formally admitted it, there was a part of Orihime that had given up on Ichigo when he left for a place she couldn't follow, but she _hadn't_ given up that someday there would be another to return her love. Perhaps she would have met him at a train station, or at the top of the tallest sky scraper in all the world. Maybe he would have looked _just _like Ichigo, or like the kind-eyed boy that had stood in the doorway moments before.

She could only imagine what she would have done on the dates she'd never go on, the feel of the hand she'd never hold. What would she have named the children she wouldn't have? She wondered what they might have looked like. She'd never know the kiss of gentle lips that would declare I love yous and mean it when they did. None of those things she had wished for would ever happen, and it was all because of _him_.

"Orihime?" Ulquiorra questioned the woman whose eyes were thick with liquids. "Why are you crying _now_?" He queried sounding exasperated. "There is absolutely no reason for you to be unhappy." He spoke again when she didn't respond. To that she looked into his soulless eyes disbelievingly.

"How can you say that to me?" She uttered from deep within her chest.

"Because," Ulquiorra cut her saddened plea off sharply, "Grimmjow and I have catered to your every need. We have kept you company, entertained you and protected you from harm just like the friends you claim to love so dearly. In what way are we not good enough for you?" Orihime's face filled with heat.

"My friends don't do those things because they're ordered to; they do them because they _want _to." She responded passionately. Ulquiorra tilted his head to one side thoughtfully.

"I…enjoy spending time with you." He stated and Orihime's eyes widened just before she tossed them to the floor.

"There were so many things I wanted to do that I never got to. It's just so sad to think about. And how pathetic, I'm twenty years old, and not even once kissed anyone." She muttered absentmindedly, almost forgetting who she was speaking to until she heard him scoff.

"I would not have expected a being of your intellect to regret something so vulgar, are you nothing more than a mindless animal?"

"_What?_" Orihime demanded lowly, her body beginning to tremble.

"A kiss: a common protocol of the human mating ritual in which the participant's lips touch. I know what it is." Ulquiorra spoke evenly to her startled face. "Similar to we Arrancar I consider you to be an elite member of your race, so why do you long for such a primitive need like a low-level Hollow that cannot deny its hunger for souls?"

"I-it's not like that!" She responded immediately, blushing profusely at his insinuation. "I guess it could mean a lot of things," her face became redder as she searched for the words to explain. "But for me a kiss is a way to express caring, love…it's how you show a special person your heart." His eyes widened slightly.

"_Heart_," he repeated the word as if it were sacred. "I see now, you kiss your friends to strengthen the bond of the heart." His emerald gaze left hers and paused to study the red of her nervously bitten lips. "Then why do you not kiss them...why did you not kiss Ichigo Kurosaki?" A tormented sob escaped her throat. His question was unintentionally cruel. Her mouth pulled into a wry smile. He didn't understand the difference but in this case, was there any?

"I don't know, I don't think I ever will." She replied softly, the taste of salt finally greeting her lips. Ulquiorra leaned toward her, almost unconsciously as he continued to examine the appearance of her tear-stained mouth. Her heart began to beat faster at his closeness, his foreign scent assaulting her nostrils. He smelled not like a man, but a misty cloud that chose to live on the ground instead of the sky.

"A simple touch having so much power, it seems rather foolish." He whispered with a chilled breath icing against her skin. Catching the attention of his dilated pupils, she swallowed nervously but didn't attempt to back away.

"Maybe it is." She replied. Her eyes closed when he descended upon her, his cooler flesh just barely touching the soft warmth of her own. When he pulled away her eyes snapped open, almost dizzily. Had Ulquiorra just…kissed her?

The green of his irises were the widest she had ever seen them as if something had taken him by genuine surprise. Ever so slowly he began drifting down toward her face again but stopped when a low chuckle sounded into the atrium.

"What's goin' on here?" Grimmjow asked with a wide grin. "Oh, I am _so _telling!"

Xx-Aizen-xX

With a hand propped beneath his chin the ex-Captain leaned over the desk as he read one of the many books before him; the others standing upright in an aligned row. It was amusing to him how similar this space, which he had visited frequently over the past days, was to his old office in the Barracks of Squad Five. He'd spent so many years there, practicing perfect posture while filling out paperwork, smiling and conversing congenially with anyone who should stop by. Even now as the Soul Reapers remained blissfully ignorant of his freedom, he was sure they still spoke of him, perhaps in the form of silent whispers as if saying his name too loudly would summon him from the bindings of his imprisonment.

But the novelty of recalling all those horrified reactions to his betrayal had worn off quickly. Over the past few days Aizen had become irritated with the stagnate progress of his plans that had already been set into motion. It was unlike him to feel impatient, but the non-reaction of the Zero Squad to his invasion here wasn't what he had anticipated. Not that it really mattered, he was immortal, unbeatable, the _true _God worthy of the throne currently occupied by trash. What difference did it make to him if they wanted to cower in fear and hang onto their pathetic existences a little longer?

Still, it perturbed him. Was this realm not the sacred land of the Soul King? He had considered making loyal followers out of the Squad members who elected to bow down to his rule but now he was decidedly against it. They were not worth sparing if they were in fact this useless. At the thought of enlisting subordinates the current state of his little side project came to mind. And she was a lovely one indeed.

Lifting his ever calm eyes he directed them toward the Espada, both standing silently at attention where they had arrived and remained for several minutes. Neither flinched nor spoke when he reclined back and looked toward them in apparent disinterest.

Without divulging his intentions he had been utilizing the Arrancar as sources of information as well as exorbitant babysitters. In most circumstances, Aizen could learn everything he needed to about a person within moments of meeting him, but as he suspected previously, Orihime was one of those rare exceptions. Each day the Espada reported to him with the day's occurrences under the guise that they were to be on the lookout for any evidence of the still unseen Squad Officers.

Over the time spent here they had reported days filled with exceptionally boring events, with not even the slightest bit of useful information. Perhaps this young woman really was a saint. She merely existed as this wholly selfless entity, bravely cooperating for the sake of protecting her friends though she had been allowed freedom and tools to attempt rebellion. Orihime really was a fascinating individual.

"Well?" Aizen spoke, finally acknowledging their presence. Ulquiorra bowed his head respectfully.

"This morning-"

"Cut the bullshit, Ulquiorra," Grimmjow spoke up, earning an inquisitive brow from the man he served. "Lord Aizen, you said we were just supposed to be lookin' after this girl right? What does that mean _exactly _because I'm little confused."

"I believe I was quite clear with you before, Grimmjow, I'd rather not repeat myself." Aizen responded plainly.

"You said we were to keep her from getting hurt an' shit and also to keep her happy, but I don't understand how Ulquiorra shoving his tongue down her throat is doing either of those things." The Sexta announced, turning to the accused with a laughing smirk.

"You are repulsive," Ulquiorra replied monotonously before moving his attention back to Aizen, whose expression hadn't changed. "Allow me to clarify Grimmjow's degenerate observation. When I dismissed one of the servants attempting to converse with Orihime, she became inconsolable, citing her sadness to having never strengthened the bonds of her friendships through the act of kissing. I acted to merely absolve her reason for regret, and preserve her good spirits as instructed."

"You creepy moron!" Grimmjow roared with eyes flung open wide. "Why would Orihime wanna kiss someone as hideous as you? You're not her friend, dumbass!"

"That is false." Ulquiorra flicked his green hues to the Sexta. "She clearly welcomed my friendship by accepting the kiss. She had no objections."

"Whaaaaat?" Grimmjow bellowed. "She didn't ask me to be her friend! And there ain't no reason she'd pick a guy as boring as you to be her friend over me!"

"Silence." Aizen ordered calmly, appearing unmoved from where he lounged. His trained visage concealed the actuality of his temperament.

He was surprised, _very_ surprised. Not by the Arrancar's actions, clearly his understanding of the human girl's sentiment had been completely lost in translation, but by Orihime's.

Replaying everything he knew of her through his head, he recalled each and every detail down to the last shred of evidence. There had been no miscalculation. The girl was beyond question in love with Ichigo Kurosaki. She had been willing to throw her life away for him, fling herself into deadly combat if only to shield him from harm. And from what he had observed from the recording of their last interaction, those feelings hadn't changed. So what satisfaction could she receive in seeking a lover's attention from Ulquiorra?

While contemplating the behavior of lovesick women, Hinamori was the first to come to mind. Though he had admittedly manipulated the poor girl, she would have followed him for the rest of her existence on the sliver of hope that he would one day return her affections. She might have even turned against Soul Society for him, and probably still would if he asked her to. But he had no interest in Hinamori, only why her bond to him was apparently stronger than Orihime's to Ichigo.

Suddenly, Aizen smiled.

Unlike spirits, humans were very aware of their volatile existences. Their fragile bodies were haunted by the nagging of biological clocks, driving them aggressively toward their desires with every ticking second that went by. Orihime probably didn't even recognize her subconscious inclinations and was likely confused to why she accepted the Arrancar's comfort. She hadn't realized she _could_ be immortal, that she had the potential to be _more_ than a mere human like he had.

Aizen had little interest in romantic involvements. Sex, companionship, and the need to be loved were weaknesses of mortals. Even in his youth when he had entertained the company of many different women he found the experience to be a tedious way to pass the time. In the end he considered sex to be just like any other skill: an expertise he mastered to painstaking perfection and then moved on.

But playing the role of a caring lover for Orihime's sake was a titillating prospect. It was an oversight to aim his hooks directly for her soul when he could appeal to the desires of her body far more easily. Though she thought of him as a villain, under the right circumstance he believed she'd be open to his comfort. He hadn't needed the women who flocked to him in his past to confirm what he already knew – Aizen was an exceptionally powerful and handsome man.

It was even possible that he may enjoy such interactions with her. If he did it wouldn't be the first time the interesting girl had surprised him. Passion was a sin of man but that didn't mean the Gods couldn't partake. On the contrary, Gods did as they pleased.

He wondered if the Soul King yearned for human pleasures. Did he allow himself to succumb to the lust of a lover, several, perhaps? Aizen smirked at the thought. He'd be sure to add that to the list of questions to inquire of him while he hacked him down and took him apart, piece by piece.

"Thank you for the report Ulquiorra – Grimmjow. That will be all."

"Huh?" Grimmjow asked, clearly dumbfounded Ulquiorra hadn't been reprimanded for his actions.

"Carry on as you were before. Be sure our guest is both comfortable and protected." Aizen spoke and slipped away from his chair. "Oh, and one more thing." He smiled toward both.

"No more kissing."

Xx-Orihime-xX

Seated at the foot of the bed, Orihime anxiously rubbed her temples. As soon as the two Arrancar had started bickering she had fled the scene and returned back to the sanctuary of her room. No one ever seemed to bother her here.

What had she been thinking? In a flurry of emotion she broke down in front of Ulquiorra and what had happened after that was unforgivable. Why hadn't she backed away from him or tried harder to explain what she meant? She didn't want Ulquiorra to kiss her and yet she just stood there and allowed him to.

In her colorful fantasies she had imagined her first kiss to be magical. It was supposed to be gentle yet so passionate that she would've become dizzy and so light that she could fly. In reality there had been no passion or desire behind those cool lips, not that she was surprised. Ulquiorra just wasn't a being with those types of feelings. Sighing stressfully, the orange haired girl stared toward the balled fists in her lap.

She had no business pitying herself, not when her friends and the rest of the world were in great danger. Orihime didn't believe Aizen's lies for a second. That man would surely want to take out his revenge on Ichigo and the others regardless of what he promised. But what could she do to protect them? If Ichigo were here, he'd fight them no matter how outmatched in power he was, but no matter how many times she played the scenario in her head that just wasn't a viable option for her. Her pondering was interrupted by the sounds of chatter and far off laughter pouring in through the cracked window. Remembering what the boy had told her in the doorway summoned an idea to the front of her mind.

If Grimmjow and Ulquiorra were still arguing or even reporting her humiliating encounter to Aizen they'd be too distracted to notice her leaving. The hill where the servants were gathering was separated by a small thicket of trees. Her reiatsu was so small that they probably wouldn't be able to sense her movement since where she'd be going would be so close. This was a rare opportunity to reach out for help. Perhaps some of them knew where to locate the Zero Squad Captains. At the moment, they were the only people within the realm's boundaries that could even stand a chance against Aizen and the Arrancar. Brushing her fingers against her Shun Shun Rikka and grasping firmly onto the katana at her waist, Orihime walked determinedly toward the fusuma that lead to the patio and slipped outside.

She held her breath until she finally reached the edge of wooded area, the voices of the people on the other side ringing closer. Pausing for a moment, she thanked her lucky stars that no one had spotted her leaving. Through the thick foliage above the sky was beginning to fill with streaks of colors beyond a normal prism's which was fascinatingly different than what she had expected. The sound of a rustling and the snapping of tree branches beyond her caused Orihime to freeze in her steps. She hadn't seen any animals since residing within the Royal Realm, but that didn't mean there weren't any. Swallowing thickly before pressing forward the sound of a whizzing object, like that of an insect came barreling from behind. Instinctively, Orihime whipped around and put her hands out before her.

"Santen Kesshun!" The second the orange-hued shield spread before her, a slim needled dart bounced off of it and tumbled to the ground. Not a moment later, more swooshing sounds erupted. The projectiles came at her from all sides, but Orihime's shield reacted on its own instinct, quickly forming a protective pyramid around her.

"I don't know how you heard that," a feminine voice rang, stinging with harshness. "But your death would have been a lot less painful if you had just let the poison take you." From nowhere the silhouette of a petite woman crossed before the clouded barrier and forcibly flung the blade of a katana against it. Though the attacker's reiatsu, one that was much greater than hers, was stealthily concealed, Orihime immediately recognized the woman to be one someone she recognized.

"C-captain Suì-Fēng!" Orihime screeched. But the dark haired woman said nothing, before striking again with her zanpakutō, inducing a tiny crack in her shields this time.

"Please! Don't attack me I'm not a traitor!" Suì-Fēng's cold eyes didn't waver when she moved to strike from the other side, inducing several more screeching injuries to the boundary. "I've been kidnapped, please, I need your help!"

"Quiet!" She hissed, stepping away and flicking her gray hues as if she were analyzing Orihime's ever weakening shields. "This isn't a courtesy I give to most but since you had once been our ally I'll indulge you," Her eyes pierced into Orihime like stingers. "I don't discriminate, and I don't ask questions. You have been ordered to be assassinated on sight by Soul Society, and that is all you need know." At the words Orihime felt her stomach drop and her fingers grow numb.

"W-what?" She muttered and backed away when Suì-Fēng viciously charged her shaky shields. Bracing for impact and squeezing her eyes shut she heard and felt the shattering of the barrier, but not the feeling of a hot blade slicing into her.

The pressure of a thunderous reiatsu knocked her from her stupor and when she opened her eyes her vision was blinded by white. Had she died? The heaving in her chest suggested otherwise and when she took a few steps backward her view filled with the image of a towering man between her and the assailant.

The same man that had been the star of her nightmares now grasped the helm of a hero. Orihime's eyes flicked back and forth between them disbelieving what she saw. Aizen stood before the Captain, holding her soul cutter's blade loosely in his fist.

"Aizen…" Suì-Fēng momentarily looked surprised before gritting her teeth. The defected Captain gazed mildly down toward her, a slight smile worn on his features.

"Hello, Captain Suì-Fēng," He spoke richly, neither of them flinching. "Greetings to Suzumebachi as well," he said flicking his eyes toward the Zanpakutō that hadn't inflicted the slightest bit of damage against his hand. "Judging by your choice in dress I can deduce that you're here on behalf of the Punishment Force, may I inquire as to what Orihime is to be punished _for_?" He asked the woman clothed in all black.

"Shut your mouth, you have no right to speak to me!" She roared back. "Traitors as disgusting as you deserve no voice." Suddenly Aizen relinquished his grip but Suì-Fēng immediately sunk to her knees. Orihime could sense the intense elevation of his reiatsu in the immediate area, but it was strangely directed only on the Captain of Squad Two. Suì-Fēng panted heavily and fought against his power, but could barely move.

"That's fine. I really didn't want to hear your explanation. I can deduct the Soul Society's intentions well enough for myself." Aizen didn't budge from where he loomed over her. He merely iced his callous gaze across her kneeling form.

"As you can see, Orihime has made a powerful friend or two since you saw her last." He continued coolly. "And I'm not going to allow you to kill her." Suì-Fēng opened her mouth to scream back at him, but before she could utter a word she was flung away by his spirit pressure, crashing through the thick trunks of a few large trees, the sound of their falling shattering the forest's silence.

"Are you injured, Orihime?" Aizen's calm voice earned the terrified woman's eyes. Her mouth agape, she was frozen in place as the man flicked his eyes over her, apparently looking for injuries. The pressure of the air abruptly changed, and before Orihime could utter a sound of warning, Suì-Fēng leapt high and down at Aizen. Her shikai was released with full intent to stab.

The rest happened in instant, so quickly that Orihime only caught pieces of it with her much slower eyes. Aizen was now turned away from Suì-Fēng, who had crumbled to her knees. Flicking her gaze, Orihime caught just a glimpse of his blade before it was once again concealed in its sheath. With eyes closed he strolled toward the frightened red head.

"Good-bye, Captain Suì-Fēng," He called behind him, "Consider it an honor I claimed your life with my Zanpakutō. You deserved a more shameful end." As if he had summoned it with his words, the woman's front burst with floods of crimson, splattering all the way down to the green blades of grass. Orihime's stomach lurched but the horrific sight was quickly blocked by Aizen's body, followed immediately by his face when he commanded her eyes with his.

"Don't look," He ordered her. Orihime was too stunned to cry.

"B-but," She reached forward and paused when his hand fell heavily on her shoulder.

"I cannot allow you to revive her now. Her body will be safe and you can do it when the time is right. If she returned she'd tell them what she saw here and Soul Society would return with an army." Orihime read between the lines of his explanation. If others came…more of them would fall. Hanging her head and willing herself not to cry, she allowed Aizen to guide her silently away and back to the manor.

XxXxXxX

"It is as I suspected, I'm afraid," Aizen commented dryly as he led Orihime into the manor with a gentle hand on her shoulder, relinquishing it to shut the sliding door behind him. She stood with slumped shoulders and eyes focused on the ground. Though physically unharmed she couldn't find the will to move, not with the dizzying array of images circling her head.

"Orihime?" He asked, but she didn't hear him.

The claims Aizen had made to her within Las Noches hadn't been the lies she believed them to be. Soul Society aimed to kill her, and wished to so desperately that they sent a Captain into the Royal Realm to look for her. In what seemed like an instant so many of her closest friends were now under order to slay her. _Ichigo_ could be held to that responsibility.

Orihime was no stranger to the bowels of despair, but never had the world felt so heavy and she was sinking fast into the deepest and darkest belly of the whale. Her knees wobbled and her legs gave way but she fell into a warm and solid body rather than the floor below. She grabbed madly onto the clothing at her fingertips when his arms closed around her and pulled her closer. The brink of her hysteria came in the form of sobs and she buried them into his well-muscled chest. He held her tight as her tiny body racked against him, threading a few fingers into her hair in response to her forceful cries.

At such a close proximity she could feel the incredible power he kept closely bound to him. It surrounded her in fuzzy warmth bursting with waves of sparks along her skin. She became weightless in his presence, the massage of his fingers into her scalp teasing away her worries and calming her violent sobs. There were whispers at the bell of her ear, words rich and laden with promises to protect her, that he'd break any sword, if it was pointed at her. Aizen pulled backward but she held onto him with a white knuckled grip as if the drenched fabric was the last comfort she'd ever know.

As smooth as flower petals his lips caressed her cheek and chased the last of the fleeing tears. He took an excruciating pause at the crook of her mouth and the silence of the room became deafening. The war Orihime's heart had declared upon her ribcage was wrought with consequence. She became dizzy and could see every thump within her chest through a veil of liquid. She blinked her vision clear when his lips left her and their gazes met. Those beige eyes were molten on hers in a way they had never been acquainted, but his face was a reminder of _whose_ arms she had sought comfort in.

_Sōsuke Aizen_, his name hissed through her head. It was wrong to let him look at her in such a way. She knew she _should_ let go of him, even if it meant she'd crumble to pieces. After all, she would only be following the rest of her world that had already done so.

"Orihime…" the sound of her name on his breath made her inhale sharply. The voice in her head nagged her to release him, to back away, run. But her fingers gripped harder, twisting boldly into the fine textile until her knuckles stopped against the heated and firm body beneath it. He slowly dipped his head down for her, easing their vast difference in height as if he expected she'd have a sudden change of heart. She knew it was likely he didn't actually care for her, she had to have some use to him she didn't quite understand. But even if she only felt it for an instant; even if it was fake…was it really so _wrong _to want to feel loved?

His lips greeted her own like a whisper, chaste and innocent in a way she hadn't imagined he'd be capable of. But that simple touch dug into her, reaching past her flesh to kiss her soul. To her reluctance, he broke contact and pulled his hand away from her hair to disentangle her fingers from his shirt. She fought him ferociously, attaching some false sense of security to the clawed fabric.

"You can have it if you'd like," the amusement in his voice somehow bringing ease to her nerves. "But for now, Orihime, just let go."

_Just let go._

As soon as her arms fell away he seized the space between them. Guiding her hands around his back he once again reclaimed her mouth, more vigorously than he had the first time. Humming delightfully against her nervous response, he nudged her lips open slightly, uttering appreciatively when she complied. She burst into trembles at the hot and wet sensation slipping across the edge of her parted lips.

That razor-like tongue Aizen had used to cut down his opponents with mere words wasn't at all sharp when he delved it into her mouth. He groaned when the soft appendage met with hers as if her tongue was something especially delicious. Their deepened kiss was like a slow dance, he commanding the lead with a teasingly languid pace. Feeling braver by the moment she dug her nails into his clothed back, the tight muscle there enlivening and contracting. Losing the fingers of one hand within her gratuitous auburn locks he let the other fall lower and pressed it into the small of her back.

Of all the incredible sensations he was gifting her, his shifted hand made her feel especially strange. Her stomach tumbled. It clutched and turned at his kneading fingers, tightening like a spring being forcibly compressed. The foreign feeling was simultaneously pleasant and uncomfortable, much like her conflicted opinion of him.

He withdrew his mouth and she gasped for air, but she wasn't allowed much time to miss it. Immediately he pulled her into him, his towering form flush with hers. She could feel him speaking into the crown of her head, but she couldn't make sense of the words. The rigid body against her yielding one commanded her attention. His breathing was perfectly calm, but the twitches in his torso were telling secrets of desire. Desires that couldn't be fed by kisses alone.

"Orihime," his low voice brushed past her ears. Was it a statement…a question? She wasn't sure, but what she felt next was delirium just before being swallowed by a billowy surface below. The dim light, the air, the curve of the ceiling above - she was back in her lonely room but how had she come to be there? Could he really shunpo that quickly?

* * *

><p><strong>XXX<strong>

* * *

><p>A shift on the mattress and an electrified kiss returning to her lips informed her that she indeed had not been left alone. Aizen hovered above her, his slim form prominent from having removed the outer shell of his uniform along with his Zanpakutō. His dark eyes were shadowed with lust, one of the few emotions she had ever seen in them. In a moment where fears were forgotten she couldn't help but admire how marvelous he truly was in appearance. The hard and sharp angles of his face were harsh but somehow inviting, a testament to his red-blooded masculinity.<p>

He massacred the train of her musings when he leaned to greet her neck. A whimper welled and escaped her throat at the barely -there grazes of his lips. The room was closing in on her at his simple yet igniting provocations. That oceanic sized bed seemed a whole lot smaller when he was in it with her.

She choked back a moan upon the wet heat of his mouth meeting the skin at her clavicle. Shifting his weight to one arm he let the other roam. Brushing past her large breast he ran his fingers firmly against her waist and twisted and pulled until the sash was wrapped around his hand.

With a fluid tug the silk fell loose around her. She was briefly thankful for the extra air to her lungs, but her heart leapt into her throat when she felt him immediately grasp for her yukata…the one clinging to the skin beneath.

Aizen's slim fingers undid the ties without his eyes' guidance, as if he had done it a thousand times before. A ragged wail passed her lips at the caress of his fingers against her bare middle, but he caught the sound with his mouth…and devoured it.

Her virgin body erupted into shakes and quivers at the feel of his scalding touch and its explorations. Orihime was lost in a flood of sensations. She was trying to match the skill of his lips, but the lingering touch he was leaving against her near nakedness left her gasping. He moved his calloused fingers patiently, a ghostly touch gliding past her navel and the bone of her hip. Very lightly he stroked the curve of her breast, pushing away the hindering clothing.

The knot this evil man had begun tying within her stomach returned with vehemence, looping and winding back over itself tighter and tighter. He was touching her _everywhere _except for the places that wanted – no, _needed_ it the most. As if he read her mind she could feel the twitch of his lips and the smirk he planted against her mouth. Was this his wicked game? To leave her unrelenting, begging for the favor of his god-like touch?

Lifting her shaky fingers, she gingerly touched him, bringing both hands to rest softly against his trim waist. With his guidance she reached beyond the ivory fabric, her thighs quivering at the smooth and heated flesh beneath. She was pleasantly surprised that unlike nightshade the deadly man had no thorns. Perhaps he kept all his poisons on the inside. Aizen pulled away from her to tend to his own clothing with both hands. Tempted to conceal her nakedness from his prying gaze she instead was frozen and star-struck at the sight of his.

With his shirt hastily freed from its fastenings, she was gifted with the view of his _perfect _upper half. She shouldn't have expected anything less from a man who approached every aspect of his existence with such diligence, but she was unaware anyone could look so immaculate. Every inch of his even-toned skin was stretched over his exceptional and taut musculature, from his built chest to every individually sculpted abdominal. Shyly moving her eyes to his face, she was surprised to not see him smirking at her gawking.

His mouth was parted slightly, but it was the intensity of his gaze that made her shutter. His brown eyes were scorching across her curvaceous figure, engulfing and consuming it with untamed lust. Flicking his attention to her face, he paid her a sly smile. Planting his elbows on either side of her head, he brushed his nose against hers. Those dark eyes were placid, a stray lock of his wavy chestnut hair dangling over her forehead.

"Forgive me," he uttered throatily, "you deserve something much more eloquent but at the moment… I'm somewhat at a loss for words," his deep voice rolled. Pressing his chest into her ample bosom he sighed and ran his lips against her ear.

"You are beautiful, Orihime," Aizen whispered.

Blushing furiously from his compliment, she released a startled squeal when he rolled his hips against her, commanding additional unclothed flesh to finally be introduced. The feel of his weight brought forth labored breaths, and though he was teasing her mouth with kisses and the occasional flick of his tongue, all she could focus on was the impressive swell pressing into her inner thigh. Her throat ran dry at the thought of it. While still clothed, his manhood was dangerously near where she was dying to be touched.

With quickened movement he pulled her from the sleeves of her opened clothes, and shoved them off the bed as if they had offended him. Her sword hit the ground with a thunk. Not giving her a moment to contemplate her vulnerability his touch was back on her, the long fingers of his hand entertaining her beautiful breasts only briefly before dragging them across her stomach and gleefully finding their destination. He groaned against her throat upon cupping the wet heat between her legs that was absolutely soaked from her intense arousal.

Orihime's tiny back arched against his fingers, announcing her satisfaction with an impassioned moan. Grazing his teeth across her shoulder he applied pressure there with even strokes and earned a variety of excited sounds from the much smaller woman below him. His perfectly placed touches against the apex of her pleasure core felt _amazing, _and Orihime could focus on nothing else but the feeling it resonated with her.

Suddenly the coil writhing in her center became unbearable, and she was powerless to the mercy of Aizen's ministrations. Fumbling desperately she dug her fingers into his shoulder and clamped her legs against his waist. He growled into her ear in response, but to her delight his fingers worked against her faster, looping his other steely arm around her back. Just when she thought she'd be doomed to this love-hate feeling forever, bright white seared her vision.

Not caring who heard her, Orihime released an ear-shattering cry at the intense pleasure that rocked through her. Embracing her body tightly against him, Aizen plunged two of his fingers inside her, driving them quickly into the spongy flesh within that further accentuated the oscillating waves of her powerful release.

Panting together, he pulled away from her to quickly slink out of his opened shirt and the loosely hanging hakama that fell away surprisingly easily.

With heaving breaths Orihime lie spent on the thrashed linens, her skin sodden with the sweat of passion. Digging the fingers of one of her hands into her splayed and orange hued locks she clung to the memory of that overwhelming feeling. She felt like her body had been picked apart by this man, and scattered into bits and pieces with a powerful explosion of bliss. The way he hovered over her now indicated that she wouldn't be getting much time to collect all the fragments.

He attacked her mouth ferociously, she could taste his hunger for her body as if he was starving and being tempted with a feast. Working his tongue past her lips he reached down to firmly grasp her backside and lift her to his freed arousal. With a caged groan he ground against her, coating his magnificent and throbbing length with the warm aftermath of her orgasm. Sinking her fingers into brawn of his solid arms she wailed at the contact, still incredibly sensitive from his previous maneuverings.

Pinning her shoulders to the mattress he drove his kiss into her, taunting her and his own privates with shallow yet forceful thrusts. Feeling excitement begin to build her belly again, Orihime suddenly froze when she felt the tip of his member slide across her virgin entrance. Hit with an abrupt wave of apprehension and fear, the beautiful girl began trembling like a leaf within his embrace.

Pulling away from her, Aizen sucked in a few deep breaths before greeting her widened eyes with his own cool, calm and controlled visage.

"I'm going to tell you something, and I want you to believe it." He spoke breathily. Licking her lips, she ignored the thumping in her chest and slowly nodded her head. His mouth pulled into a half smile just before stretching his body above and nuzzling her ear.

"You'll always be safe…when you're with me." He told her gruffly. Feeling her heart flutter automatically to his promise, she answered him by allowing her fingers to drift down his back and study its fierce sturdiness, the sinew and tendons electrifying excitedly under her fingertips. Greeting her with another kiss, he buried further ones into her neck and pushed slowly forward into her inviting warmth.

Biting her lip, Orihime fought crying out against her discomfort, but showed it to him by digging her nails roughly into his back. He made little sound himself, but when he was buried completely inside her she let out a jagged cry. She was terrified to move. He felt far too big. The pressure alone threatened to tear her to pieces. But when he slowly rocked over her, backward and then painstakingly forward again Orihime felt an immediate difference. Allowing her clutch on him to relax, she released a pleased sigh upon the oscillating shivers this brand new sensation was inducing.

Putting a little space between their closely knit bodies, Aizen freed his movements still moving patiently but with greater speed. Daring herself to look up at him, a rush of excitement coursed through her at the sight of his half-lidded eyes with all their lust and wanting focused on her.

The face she had associated with that of a villain held no such connotation when his eyes were affixed to her like this. His thrusts were patient and deliberate like that of a lover's, not like nails being driven into a coffin. Maybe all of this was just a dream, or an elaborate illusion meant to play a cruel joke on her lonely existence, but that just couldn't be possible, could it?

His reach and slight lift of her body knocked her from her dizzied musings, and the intense change of angle had its intended effect immediately. Crying out at the increase of pressure being driven into her core she gasped and held onto him tighter. Following the rhythm of his movements she nearly choked on her breath when he exponentially began to pick up speed, bringing her quickly to the edge of glory once more. In light of his powerful thrusts she could feel his reiatsu spill over as if it was claiming her. She was drowning in its unexpected pleasantness. When that familiar twist returned she came with a ragged wail, he following almost immediately after with a more subdued groan.

* * *

><p><strong>XXX<strong>

* * *

><p>After untangling from each other, Orihime felt a sudden wave of extreme exhaustion along with her heavy breathing. Wordlessly, she felt Aizen move her panting form and secure it underneath the straightened sheets. He felt incredibly warm at her back, her small body held easily in his contoured and warm arms. It was a surprising adieu to an emotional day, but she was too tired to think of anything more.<p>

Sometime after she had succumbed to her exhaustion, the silence of two calmly breathing bodies overtook the room. With a slight inflection of his reiatsu, Aizen dismissed the candles that had burned and were extinguished under that command. Long having fallen asleep, Orihime didn't feel the twist of a smirk into the back of her hair.

"Sleep well," Aizen spoke, an unsettling wickedness teeming in his whisper. "Goddess to be."

* * *

><p>Thank you X a hundred-million-billion to: <strong>ThePandaHat, CaPiTalStoRieS, Syria, nypsy, Flare-Flare(x2 XD), boho, Veraozao, update, QueenBlade, Sakura Waldorf, Sariniste, Jess, MORE2, <strong>and** UPDATE **for being those incredibly amazing readers who review when they read! *HUGS*

So…it's really scary posting stuff to be judged by the general public, and it's even SCARIER to post something with a sex scene so please let me know what you thought if you read! I may be scarred for life if you all drop me at once! Ahhh!

Anyway, a long chapter but I felt this is what it took to be satisfying so I hope you all were! There are some things that may seem like plot holes/aren't clear but I'm hoping that it'll all be clarified in the next chapter! But if you have a question feel free to ask and I'll definitely respond without giving away too much! ;)

I'm hoping to continue updating but I've got a dissertation due this summer so I could really use some feedback as motivation! (Everytime I see a word document I think about school and want to cry!)

Thank you so much for all your support!

~El3


End file.
